Limerick/Shannon Metropolitan Area Transport Strategy (LSMATS)

marno21

Draft of this was opened for public consultation this morning.

https://www.limerick.ie/council/newsroom/news/sustainable-transport-big-winner-limerick-shannon-strategy

https://www.nationaltransport.ie/consultations/publication-of-the-draft-limerick-shannon-metropolitan-area-transport-strategy/

Cookiemunster

No mention of reopening old rail lines for commuter purposes or building a light rail system. The idea seems to be build the LNDR to take traffic out of the city center, build park and rides around the outskirts and implement BusConnects with better pedestrian and cycling facilities.

AngryLips

NTA, Iarnród Eireann, and both local authorities intend to examine the feasibility of providing a dualtrack between Limerick Colbert and Limerick Junction to facilitate improved national and regional connectivity.

For rail, a move to higher speeds and/or electrification for inter-city services is to be examined.

The plan seems very low on ambition alright. I don't really understand how intercity services fall under the remit of a local area transport plan unless it concerns Cork-Limerick intercity but why does it fail to specifically mention that? What's the point in dual-tracking the line to Limerick Junction unless direct services between the two cities is what's envisioned?


Also, a missed opportunity to talk about increased services and additional stations long the route to Ennis as well as the Limerick Junction route ...those aren't big asks, it's just a few extra stations.

hans aus dtschl

Aims for 4.2% cycle share by 2040.
Around half of what Dublin had in 2016.

Aims for 51.8% private car share by 2040.
7% higher than Dublin had in 2016.

Strategic level lulz

Just to recap, the NTA aims for 10% cycle share and 45% car mode share by....eh....2020

Cookiemunster

hans aus dtschl wrote: »

Aims for 4.2% cycle share by 2040.
Around half of what Dublin had in 2016.

Aims for 51.8% private car share by 2040.
7% higher than Dublin had in 2016.

Strategic level lulz

Just to recap, the NTA aims for 10% cycle share and 45% car mode share by....eh....2020

You have to ask what those levels were in Limerick in 2016 (or even now). Cycling is still practically nonexistent as a mode of transport and the bus service is farcical, so 50% car use is actually quite an ask. Dublins overstretched public transport system is something Limerick can currently only dream of.

riddlinrussell

Cookiemunster wrote: »

You have to ask what those levels were in Limerick in 2016 (or even now). Cycling is still practically nonexistent as a mode of transport and the bus service is farcical, so 50% car use is actually quite an ask. Dublins overstretched public transport system is something Limerick can currently only dream of.

But you could argue that given the size difference between the two it 'should' be cheaper to have a bigger impact on transit in Limerick? aiming for 4.7% modal share seems like a distinct lack of ambition, given that proper cycling infrastructure is generally the least expensive solution, being minor road changes (at a minimum the cost of relining a road AND adding bollards+signage), and there being basically no requirement for a 'critical mass' to justify a major expenditure such as tram building and bus purchases.

Opposition to city bike infrastructure is almost always going to be from a political perspective/car entrenched perspective, rather than a cost perspective, unless new bridges etc are required (Ironically usually to avoid any discommoding of cars)

Putting together an excellent cycling network with 'temporary measures' should be pretty cheap compared to other options, it will just royally piss off car-centric interests and drivers by occasionally inconveniencing them, blocking opportunities for pavement parking, preventing rat runs with filtered permeability etc.

EDIT: I found this quote on pricing cycling provision in London, probably a little cheaper for somewhere the size of Limerick?

The estimated cost of constructing a kerb separated cycle track in central London is approximately £700000 per km, compared with around £60000 per km for light segregation.

That implies that for 10 million euro Limerick could potentially build nearly 150km of safely separated cycling infrastructure (discounting additional costs of good junction design etc.) I would say that 150km of good routes in limerick would get you well past that 4.7% modal share target...

hans aus dtschl

Cookiemunster wrote: »

You have to ask what those levels were in Limerick in 2016 (or even now). Cycling is still practically nonexistent as a mode of transport and the bus service is farcical, so 50% car use is actually quite an ask. Dublins overstretched public transport system is something Limerick can currently only dream of.

They were the NTA's national targets, not mine!
These would obviously be far more achievable in urban rather than rural areas.

I'm just pointing out that this doc - just like CMATS - ignores the NTA's own published strategies.

Edit: I think I may have misread your message as "the NTA mode-share targets are too unreasonable".
Whereas on re-reading you seem to be more saying "an awful lot more needs to be done". Apologies if so!