Cycle infrastructure planned for north Dublin

Seth Brundle

https://twitter.com/Dub324/status/1384519333766967296?s=19

MojoMaker

All Paul McAuliffe is doing there is repurposing the fear mongering, and casting himself as the white knight.

Not helpful.

Weepsie

They don't give a toss about the trees. They all might lose what is essentially another off road parking space though, due to the weirdly wide area in front of the houses along there.

If it were still Ballymun avenue, and finglas either side of it, this wouldn't be an issue I bet.

magicbastarder

i once nicked part of a tree from glasnevin avenue.
in my defence, it had blown down in ophelia.

Duckjob

magicbastarder wrote: »

i once nicked part of a tree from glasnevin avenue.
in my defence, it had blown down in ophelia.

"Dem cyclists! Deyve been stealin' bits of our trees for years now, Joe!"

Tombo2001

I wrote to several local councillors as per the Dublin Cycling Campaign email and to be fair got back several responses, by and large endorsing the cycle lane.

On Paul McAuliffe - thats really having your cake and eating it.

And his "on the one hand and on the other" is pretty imbalanced .....on the one hand, child safety and on the other hand trees on the side of the road......really?

On a related note - Paul McAuliffe asked for feedback & commentary from cyclists in the local area about 9 months ago - I sent him a pretty detailed email outlining various pinch points in the area, as I imagine others did also.

He hasnt really responded in any way, except the initial "thanks, I'll review all these points". Bit disappointed, why put people to the trouble.

Tombo2001

On Griffith Avenue = the council appears to have pandered to particular houses on the route, that kicked up a fuss.

There was one car parking on the cycle lane for ages, with some nonsense handwritten note saying the council had allowed him to park there.

Now there is a single space parking spot outside that house, just to keep that one punter happy.

magicbastarder

there is parking provided for the doctor/dentist surgery, that was the main concern there.

buffalo

Tombo2001 wrote: »

He hasnt really responded in any way, except the initial "thanks, I'll review all these points". Bit disappointed, why put people to the trouble.

I do feel sorry for councillors - even those I disagree with. You'd be hard pressed to find someone just to handle replying thoughtfully to all the emails for €17k (plus expenses) a year, let alone all the rest of the work.

Tombo2001

buffalo wrote: »

I do feel sorry for councillors - even those I disagree with. You'd be hard pressed to find someone just to handle replying thoughtfully to all the emails for €17k (plus expenses) a year, let alone all the rest of the work.

I'd agree with that completelty - note Paul McAuliffe is a TD and has a team around him.

I'm in awe of the local councillors for the amount of work they do.

Also for their patience - I see them on local facebook residential sites and people giving out about everything on all sides, people who themselves never get up of their couches to do a damn thing.

And the councilors tend to remain pretty calm in the midst of all this.

Tombo2001

magicbastarder wrote: »

there is parking provided for the doctor/dentist surgery, that was the main concern there.

Yep = but on the opposite side of the road further up near the Post Office, there is this one random parking spot.

I dont believe there is any healthy care facility there.

DoraDelite

Tombo2001 wrote: »

Yep = but on the opposite side of the road further up near the Post Office, there is this one random parking spot.

I dont believe there is any healthy care facility there.

It's a poor precedent to set, if you whinge loud and often enough, you get a designated piece of public road allocated for your private vehicle storage. If I was petty enough, I'd go and park up in it and leave the car there for a week or so

Tombo2001

DoraDelite wrote: »

It's a poor precedent to set, if you whinge loud and often enough, you get a designated piece of public road allocated for your private vehicle storage. If I was petty enough, I'd go and park up in it and leave the car there for a week or so

I'm interpreting the situation obviously, I dont know what happened.

To your point, I live nearby and there is free parking as it stands on several roads.

For example, Clonliffe Road.

Its not unusual to see a car that has been left there for years, even ten years. Tax 10 years out of date.

Its very common to see cars parked for two or three weeks at a stretch (less so recently due to lower airport traffic).

But when you take the parking away, as per Griffith Avenue, suddenly every space is needed - is essential - for some sick old granny who is going to the Doctor.

All of a sudden, the sick old granny is being told she has to walk from 200 metres away.

Even if there are dedicated spaces for the surgery, its never enough spaces for all the sick old grannies.

Needless to say, its never the sick old granny herself who is making this point.

odyssey06

Tombo2001 wrote: »

For example, Clonliffe Road.
Its not unusual to see a car that has been left there for years, even ten years. Tax 10 years out of date.

As an aside if you report such cars to DCC they will leave a notice on the car and tow it in a couple of weeks.

DoraDelite

odyssey06 wrote: »

As an aside if you report such cars to DCC they will leave a notice on the car and tow it in a couple of weeks.

They do in fairness to them, a couple of years ago in a 12 month period on a single 50 metre stretch of road on my street, there were four abandoned cars that DCC lifted after reporting them (one even had it's own evolving eco system growing under it). If that's a single 50 metre stretch I can only imagine what the other streets with free parking are like.

magicbastarder

Tombo2001 wrote: »

Yep = but on the opposite side of the road further up near the Post Office, there is this one random parking spot.

i assumed that was because of the post office; i've actually used that spot (while picking up several large packages)

magicbastarder

odyssey06 wrote: »

As an aside if you report such cars to DCC they will leave a notice on the car and tow it in a couple of weeks.

if it has no plates, they will tow it immediately (well, that was my experience about 15 years ago)

DoraDelite

magicbastarder wrote: »

if it has no plates, they will tow it immediately (well, that was my experience about 15 years ago)

You can report it with plates on and they'll lift it. More often than not, all discs are out of date and tyres are flat. I assume they lift it and maybe try to contact the owner?

magicbastarder

https://twitter.com/DublinCommuters/status/1391841966841806851

downtheroad

magicbastarder wrote: »

https://twitter.com/DublinCommuters/status/1391841966841806851

Drove up Collins Avenue today, the section between Malahide Road and Whitehall. The paths were lined with parked cars, 4 wheels on road, 2 wheels on path, 4 wheels on path - a nice mix. Will be interesting to see how the protected cycle lane will impact on this.

If a grant was made available for front gardens to be turned into driveways with a view to clearing cars off the road it might help the situation all over Dublin.

Or of course parking enforcement could be improved.

loyatemu

downtheroad wrote: »

If a grant was made available for front gardens to be turned into driveways with a view to clearing cars off the road it might help the situation all over Dublin.

that would be a terrible use of public money IMO.

downtheroad

loyatemu wrote: »

that would be a terrible use of public money IMO.

No shortage of wasted public money in Ireland.

Just an idea to get cars off the road for houses that have space for, but do not have, a driveway. And not a full grant, a contribution towards the cost.

magicbastarder

New Fingal coastal walking and cycle route gets mixed reaction
https://www.rte.ie/news/regional/2021/0511/1220927-fingal-greenway/

DaveyDave

downtheroad wrote: »

No shortage of wasted public money in Ireland.

Just an idea to get cars off the road for houses that have space for, but do not have, a driveway. And not a full grant, a contribution towards the cost.

They won't use them anyway. My mam's estate has cars parked outside literally every house and the road is only a few hundred metres long. Houses with paved over gardens don't even park both their cars in the driveway. Other neighbors insist on parking a second car outside their house just so someone else doesn't park along the curb outside their house.

I recently had to report two abandoned vehicles in the cul-de-sac, the owner of one recently just got another crappy car and left the other one abandoned on the road and the most frustrating part of it is they don't use their driveway at all. They park the second car on the path outside the garden.

I reported another car on a busy public road that was abandoned two years, flat tyres and heavy moss. Council said it was already reported previously but the owner said it wasn't abandoned and I'd have to contact Gardai. The council should liase with Gardai to seize cars on public roads without tax, insurance instead of all this arsing around. The council have to go out and verify the report anyway they could just tell Gardai and have it seized there and then as it's on public roads. If we stop giving people warnings and chances then they'd have no choice but to get rid of these cars or at the very least park them on private land.

Sorry a bit off topic here but it grinds my gears that people leave cars abandoned like this...

magicbastarder

there are some houses at the malahide road end which don't have driveways (but which have room for them).
i can't say i'll have *much* sympathy for someone who owns a car, has room to park it in the front garden, and bellyaches that they should not be allowed park on the path.

buffalo

buffalo wrote: »

https://consult.fingal.ie/en/consultation/fingal-coastal-way-non-statutory-public-consultation

Fingal County Council is in the process of developing plans for the Fingal Coastal Way, a high quality, safe, attractive and environmentally sympathetic coastal walking and cycling route linking Donabate, Rush, Loughshinny, Skerries and Balbriggan and the wider North Fingal area.

This will be gorgeous.

If you haven't left any feedback on this, now is a good time to do so. I've been flicking through the submissions, and lots of opposition in Skerries and Balbriggan (some people leaving feedback multiple times) to "fast-moving groups of cyclists". Opposition to sections of the route going through built up urban streets and through natural areas and residential greens.

Of course, most of those objecting are completely in favour of cycling and the project in general.

Residents of Lusk and Portrane on the other hand are looking for the route to be diverted through their towns.

Most amusing comment in the consultation has been: "we were not consulted about this proposal".

Most car-centric take has been "there's no room for cycling infrastructure on Quay Street":

Duckjob

I started reading the submissions but had to stop as it gets too irritating reading some of the nonsense. I think my favorite comment was one bemoaning the parking in Quay St in Skerries saying that every house has "at least 2 cars" :eek:

Anyway, it looks awesome. Now, any chance I can just get cryogenically frozen and thawed out when it's all done ?

magicbastarder

apparently public consultation on the royal canal greenway out past blanchardstown is opening up again, i think on tuesday.
i've seen a mail from a local residents' association that they have 'reliable information' that the north bank proposal will be presented to councillors as the preferred option, which is what this residents' association is campaigning against.

i took the opportunity to mail the councillors and express my support for the north bank option anyway.

buffalo

buffalo wrote: »

https://consult.fingal.ie/en/consultation/fingal-coastal-way-non-statutory-public-consultation

Fingal County Council is in the process of developing plans for the Fingal Coastal Way, a high quality, safe, attractive and environmentally sympathetic coastal walking and cycling route linking Donabate, Rush, Loughshinny, Skerries and Balbriggan and the wider North Fingal area.

This will be gorgeous.

This consultation closes tomorrow. Even an undetailed 'I support a greenway' is helpful.

buffalo

buffalo wrote: »

This consultation closes tomorrow. Even an undetailed 'I support a greenway' is helpful.

Thank you for your submission.

Took 3 minutes, including setting up an account.

Wishbone Ash

buffalo wrote: »

....Most car-centric take has been "there's no room for cycling infrastructure on Quay Street"....

Duckjob wrote: »

... I think my favorite comment was one bemoaning the parking in Quay St in Skerries saying that every house has "at least 2 cars" :eek:....

I live around the corner from Quay Street. I doubt very much that every house has at least 2 cars. Much of the parking there during the day would appear to be sea swimmers, beach goers, wind surfers, walkers etc. avoiding the congestion around the harbour area. When I walk along there early in the morning or late in the evening, there are plenty of free spaces.

(It's also a one way street but this is frequently ignored by many cyclists which doesn't help our image).

Breezer

buffalo wrote: »

This consultation closes tomorrow. Even an undetailed 'I support a greenway' is helpful.

Done. I don’t know the area well to cycle at all, despite living well within cycling distance for a day trip, as the impression I get from posts and videos on here is the roads are horrible. I’m happy enough mixing it with traffic when commuting, but if I’m on a leisure cycle at the weekend I want to enjoy myself. This route would greatly facilitate that and encourage me to visit, spend money etc.

buffalo

Wishbone Ash wrote: »

I live around the corner from Quay Street. I doubt very much that every house has at least 2 cars. Much of the parking there during the day would appear to be sea swimmers, beach goers, wind surfers, walkers etc. avoiding the congestion around the harbour area. When I walk along there early in the morning or late in the evening, there are plenty of free spaces.

(It's also a one way street but this is frequently ignored by many cyclists which doesn't help our image).

I think the greenway would be a great excuse to free the street from the parked cars. One submission mentioned an ambulance couldn't get to one of the houses with all the cars in the way!

Made my own submission now, will wait and see what happens.

NeedMoreGears

Submission made. A little on the "more of this kind of thing" side but hopefully helps a bit

downtheroad

Loads of parked cars in the cycle lanes on both sides of Griffith Avenue yesterday. So bad that you'd be forced to cycle in the traffic lane which just gets you beeped at by others users. It needs to be segregated or may aswell be gotten rid of. Not fit for purpose.

Tombo2001

the wands are going in now, as of yesterday evening, on the stretch of griffith avenue from drumcondra road to malahide road.

There were heaps of parked cars, so wands could only go in where there are gaps, so they will probably need to come back a number of times to finish the job.

Am really hoping that when this gets completed, it will create a 'safeway' if not a greenway that will allow families cycle out as far as Fairview Park and onto the Clontarf Sutton bike lane. That could be a real game changer.

Duckjob

Tombo2001 wrote: »

the wands are going in now, as of yesterday evening, on the stretch of griffith avenue from drumcondra road to malahide road.

There were heaps of parked cars, so wands could only go in where there are gaps, so they will probably need to come back a number of times to finish the job.

Am really hoping that when this gets completed, it will create a 'safeway' if not a greenway that will allow families cycle out as far as Fairview Park and onto the Clontarf Sutton bike lane. That could be a real game changer.

Wouldn't surprise me if there's a bit of of a concerted local effort going on there to occupy that space as much as possible try to keep "their lovely avenue" safe from the de cyclists. Keep it draped with lovely metal boxes to preserve it's beauty.

Great to hear that part is being done though, I cycled down there a couple of weeks back and the paint may as well not be there at all. In the current car culture painted cycle lanes, as well as pretty much any other measure appealing to car drivers to "play nice" are worthless.

Tombo2001

Duckjob wrote: »

Wouldn't surprise me if there's a bit of of a concerted local effort going on there to occupy that space as much as possible try to keep "their lovely avenue" safe from the de cyclists. Keep it draped with lovely metal boxes to preserve it's beauty.

Great to hear that part is being done though, I cycled down there a couple of weeks back and the paint may as well not be there at all. In the current car culture painted cycle lanes, as well as pretty much any other measure appealing to car drivers to "play nice" are worthless.

Was funny last night, I popped over to Raheny to buy something from Adverts.

Lady went on one giving out about the new cycle lane and the traffic. Started asking me how I get to work and how I manage the traffic. I cycle. How do kids get to school. Cycle.

Duckjob

Tombo2001 wrote: »

Was funny last night, I popped over to Raheny to buy something from Adverts.

Lady went on one giving out about the new cycle lane and the traffic. Started asking me how I get to work and how I manage the traffic. I cycle. How do kids get to school. Cycle.

Those people make me laugh - in their minds traffic is a fixed thing that cycle paths are making worse, so they should be done away with.

No awareness that many of our population centres are projected to double in population over the next 10-20 years and that means potential doubling of the already chronic traffic levels if we carry on with the same ole same old.

No awareness that peoples transport habits can and MUST change - simple no other way.

Just no awareness at all really.

07Lapierre

Duckjob wrote: »

Those people make me laugh - in their minds traffic is a fixed thing that cycle paths are making worse, so they should be done away with.

No awareness that many of our population centres are projected to double in population over the next 10-20 years and that means potential doubling of the already chronic traffic levels if we carry on with the same ole same old.

No awareness that peoples transport habits can and MUST change - simple no other way.

Just no awareness at all really.

It’s all about the “Me”, “Myself” and “I”!
“I’m entitled to drive everywhere!”
“I pay MY Taxes”
“I don’t cycle so I don’t see the point of cycle lanes”
“How else do I get MY kids to school?”
“Nobody asked ME for approval for that cycle lane!”

mr spuckler

Tombo2001 wrote: »

Was funny last night, I popped over to Raheny to buy something from Adverts.

Lady went on one giving out about the new cycle lane and the traffic. Started asking me how I get to work and how I manage the traffic. I cycle. How do kids get to school. Cycle.

There are plenty of those on the Raheny FB page unfortunately. Any post about cyclists/cycling attracts such an incredible amount of bile.
I remember someone posting about his then 4yo nearly getting knocked down cycling across a ped crossing when he had the green light, most of the comments were about how he shouldn't be cycling on the footpath (remember he was 4 FFS).

However when a van driver drove onto the protected cycle path/footpath by the coast last year and killed a woman, the rush to excuse his actions, label it a medical episode etc without any proof was something to behold.

Duckjob

mr spuckler wrote: »

There are plenty of those on the Raheny FB page unfortunately. Any post about cyclists/cycling attracts such an incredible amount of bile.
I remember someone posting about his then 4yo nearly getting knocked down cycling across a ped crossing when he had the green light, most of the comments were about how he shouldn't be cycling on the footpath (remember he was 4 FFS).

However when a van driver drove onto the protected cycle path/footpath by the coast last year and killed a woman, the rush to excuse his actions, label it a medical episode etc without any proof was something to behold.

Yep, thoughts and prayers. Cars are to some of us what guns are to [some] Americans.

Edit:

And when you put all that in the context of the world reality like this:
https://www.rte.ie/news/world/2021/0615/1228249-arctic/

It really boils my piss. These stupid people will still be moaning about "dem cyclists thinkin they're in the Tour de France" the day their big tanks get washed off their f***** driveways.

Tombo2001

mr spuckler wrote: »

There are plenty of those on the Raheny FB page unfortunately. Any post about cyclists/cycling attracts such an incredible amount of bile.
I remember someone posting about his then 4yo nearly getting knocked down cycling across a ped crossing when he had the green light, most of the comments were about how he shouldn't be cycling on the footpath (remember he was 4 FFS).

However when a van driver drove onto the protected cycle path/footpath by the coast last year and killed a woman, the rush to excuse his actions, label it a medical episode etc without any proof was something to behold.

I had a big row with the admin of a local FB group recently, who posted video footage of the new cycle lane which in turn prompted some really nasty remarks.

My take was that they were looking to 'generate debate' to put it euphemistically - a debate which always involved one group getting it in the neck from another group - they said that wasnt the case.

Regardless - what annoys the fup out of me is that all these local FB groups say they have standards and rules, courtesy and respect should be shown etc etc, and these are never policed.

I would actually say there is so much aggression on them, that they shouldnt be made available to children under 16.

mr spuckler

Tombo2001 wrote: »

Regardless - what annoys the fup out of me is that all these local FB groups say they have standards and rules, courtesy and respect should be shown etc etc, and these are never policed.

Very selectively policed in the case of the Raheny one. One of the admins is very much in the driver's corner and weighs in herself with nonsensical comments at times. You're p1ssing into the wind trying to have a reasoned argument there.

I would actually say there is so much aggression on them, that they shouldnt be made available to children under 16.

The aggression levels are really disturbing, I remember fairly pointed comments about people with bike trailers in the area at one point. To my knowledge at the time there were only 2 or 3 families who used trailers regularly, it makes you feel deeply uncomfortable and gives all the more reason for having cameras on the bike, even when just going to the park or beach with the kids

Tombo2001

mr spuckler wrote: »

Very selectively policed in the case of the Raheny one. One of the admins is very much in the driver's corner and weighs in herself with nonsensical comments at times. You're p1ssing into the wind trying to have a reasoned argument there.



The aggression levels are really disturbing, I remember fairly pointed comments about people with bike trailers in the area at one point. To my knowledge at the time there were only 2 or 3 families who used trailers regularly, makes you feel deeply uncomfortable and all the more reason for having cameras on the bike, even when just going to the park or beach with the kids

I left the Drumcondra Social page, just got sick of it. Why should I - as a cyclist - be exposed to consistent abuse in this way. Mods were doing nothing about it, so I just left.

magicbastarder

ah here, it was hardly abuse on the drumcondra social page? not that i remember seeing any anyway.
and there were often more yay-sayers than nay sayers.

Tombo2001

magicbastarder wrote: »

ah here, it was hardly abuse on the drumcondra social page? not that i remember seeing any anyway.
and there were often more yay-sayers than nay sayers.

There is a consistent narrative of anti-cycling (drivers principall) on the attack, and pro-cycling having to defend themselves.

Rarely if ever the other way around.

There is a large cohort there that you can guarantee will be involved in any discussion that involves giving out about cyclists.

I got fed up with it.

And discussions on cycling were quite frequent.

tomasrojo

I suppose this is more pedestrianisation on the North Side, rather than cycling infrastructure, but I think the attempt to undo the pedestrianisation in Malahide through the courts hasn't succeeded.

https://twitter.com/brianmcdonagh/status/1425428119096369154

tomasrojo

Though I think that's only a failure of the attempt to cause immediate removal? Still, seems like good news.

magicbastarder

if you read the follow up tweet, it seems that she sought an injunction for the removal of the scheme pending a decision on the legality of it; but the judge refused the injuction but is still going to rule on the legality.