Cycle infrastructure planned for south Dublin

31-07-2021 11:12AM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117685414#Comment_117685414

You can promote cycling without removing major roads.

Closing off Strand Road is not going to encourage msny to cycle, you have go access this road and many of the local roads will be taking hundreds of cars a day, this will be unpleasant for those walking snd cycling and residents wont be able to get their cars out of the driveway.

The Merrion Road into town will be blocked so more dangerous.

There is simply nowhere for the thousands of cars that use Strand Road to go, the original Sandycove to Sutton route never envisaged closing Strand Road Northwards.

There is a very bullying cycle lobby out there now, they want the roads to themselves so they can speed, its mainly white middleaged men having the ear of other white middleaged men in power.Thank the Lord we have an unbiased judicial system.

If this goes for planning permission can DCC award permission to itself or is there an independent body that isnt invested in the outcome.

tomasrojo · 31-07-2021 11:46AM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117686148#Comment_117686148

The point of infrastructure is for cycling to get away from being dominated by middle-class men, as well as increase numbers. That's what happened too, on the coastal route in Dún Laoghaire.

These "Big Cycling lobby are stomping on the common man" arguments aren't very convincing. The lobby to design street for motor vehicle convenience alone is extremely well funded, and been in place for decades. The lobby on the other side is mostly volunteers. The reason infrastructure is increasingly embraced at official levels is because it successfully addresses problems cities, in particular, have that can't be fixed by building more roads and car parking.

tomasrojo · 31-07-2021 11:51AM

I'm not personally heavily invested in this particular road, but there have been several initiatives like it that have been successful and popular. The "madness" and "bullying" language about these schemes in general are just hyperbole. I know people in Dundrum who were completely opposed to the Main St change, but are delighted with it now, and none of them cycles.

AndrewJRenko · 31-07-2021 11:56AM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117686148#Comment_117686148

There was never any plan to 'remove major roads' or 'close off Strand Road'. Making a road one-way is not closing it. It just means a slightly longer journey for some people in some cases.

31-07-2021 12:04PM

In actuality it means a considerably longer journey in terms of travel time for many people in many cases. Having lived in the area I know this to be the truth of the matter.

AndrewJRenko · 31-07-2021 12:06PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117686320#Comment_117686320

Like five minutes, maybe? How long is considerably longer in your terms?

31-07-2021 12:09PM

like 15 to 20 minutes longer at the wrong time of the day. D4 isn't easy to navigate at the best of times.

Fighting Tao · 31-07-2021 12:14PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117686336#Comment_117686336

Having commuted through the area for a number of years by car, I can confirm that your claim is ridiculous. I have used every rat run there and 15-20 is a gross exaggeration.

31-07-2021 12:15PM

OK. deny that I ever lived there if you like. My experience and yours are completely different. I know you don't want to hear things like these.

31-07-2021 12:23PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117686293#Comment_117686293

It is closing off half the road and its the main access route to the East Link, The Port Tunnel, Dublin Port , the Airport etc.

The East Link was built to take traffic out of the city centre so where is the sense in removing thousands of cars a day and putting them on Merrion Road and then if its too difficult to get to the East Link many cars will continue onto the city centre thus causing gridlock there too.

A couple of minutes extra, you seriously havent a clue.

tomasrojo · 31-07-2021 12:26PM

Only road in D4 where at peak time locals can't get out of their driveway and traffic is backed up to a point it can add 15 mins onto journeys that I'm familiar with is Marlborough Road. But since it's a handy two-way short cut councillors blocked even having a consultation on changing it.

31-07-2021 12:28PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117686270#Comment_117686270

Dundrum has a by pass so no comparison between what was done there and the fall out from closing Strand Road.

tomasrojo · 31-07-2021 12:31PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117686391#Comment_117686391

Main St was still treated as an arterial route servicing two major shopping areas (one of which is the biggest in the country) and the M50. And the projected mayhem never happened.

31-07-2021 12:33PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117686388#Comment_117686388

If you close off this road you just move traffic onto another road.

The Monkstown Road is snarled up with traffic now and dangerous to cycle on as its too narrow and too much space has been given to cyclists.This space isnt protected so oncoming cars are forced into the cyclists space, someone is going to be badly hurt there.

Trudee · 31-07-2021 12:36PM

If you don’t turn right at Merrion gates the next allowed right hand turn is Serpentine Avenue, there are 10 sets of traffic lights from gates to junction Serpentine and with DCC having set timer to allow fewer cars through on green you will be stalled at 4 of these lights for definite. Then on Serpentine heading down you will most likely be stuck at DART, last few evenings that I travelled down Serpentine traffic backed up from DART to junction so for anyone who hasn’t been in area recently I can assure you 15 mins is minimum

31-07-2021 12:40PM

They won't listen to you as it doesn't tally with their fixed set of beliefs.

tomasrojo · 31-07-2021 12:41PM

"Giving space to cyclists is endangering them" is an argument I've already heard in, relation to DLR changes, and despite the novelty of being an intriguing paradox, it isn't true there.

I'll stay out of the local stuff I'm unfamiliar with though. There were just some generalisations I wanted to address.

Podge_irl · 31-07-2021 01:16PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117686409#Comment_117686409

Motorists are rarely “forced” into cycle lanes, they simply choose to, generally for their own convenience and because of a lack of consideration for other road users.

Fighting Tao · 31-07-2021 02:16PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117686352#Comment_117686352

Please stop making stuff up. I never said that you never lived there. I said that your 15-20 minutes is a gross exaggeration.

Fighting Tao · 31-07-2021 02:19PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117686419#Comment_117686419

i see the goal posts have moved to beyond Merrion Gates now from the conversation that was ongoing.

Fighting Tao · 31-07-2021 02:23PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117686435#Comment_117686435

I have driven through the area more than I have cycled it. So I have no idea what you are on about. I still drive far more than I cycle. I’m actually only back on the bike over the last 2 weeks after being off it for a year. Funny how motorists always have a them and us view when it comes to people who cycle. Most people that cycle are drivers too. It really opens your eyes when you can see things from more than one side.

Carfacemandog · 31-07-2021 02:31PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/115232428#Comment_115232428

Considering that motorists seem to be under the impression that cycle lanes and templeogue all the way down to terenure is one giant car park anyway, it's hardly surprising.

Its been tempting to see if Hollingsworth have any knackered old bikes to cement to the actual road there, and see if the lack of Garda or council action would be the same.

31-07-2021 04:34PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117686831#Comment_117686831

I am making nothing up. My experience is as a former resident of many years. Thankfully in Court Residents don't get shouted down and insulted as they do here.

31-07-2021 04:43PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117686859#Comment_117686859

Speaking as a cyclist for leisure I find it is Ardent Aggressive Cyclists who balkanize the topic of commuting in the Cities. At the bottom of my hill is a new stretch of 4km of cycle track which has been created at the expense of a lane of road. The barriers between it are makeshift but do the job of preserving it for cyclists. There is no sleight of hand here. It is a temporary arrangement to determine the benefits and consequences and where the benefit is found to be great enough it will be formalised. It is not the barefaced lie which the Council tried to get by the unfortunate residents of Sandymount.

31-07-2021 05:03PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117686843#Comment_117686843

...Spoken like someone who has never had to figure out how to get home when living east of the railway tracks. Accessing somewhere between Irishtown and Merrion gates is often difficult morning and evening.

Fighting Tao · 31-07-2021 05:59PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117687511#Comment_117687511

Re-read my post. You said that I said something I did not. That is making things up. I won’t hold my breath for an apology though. :)

Fighting Tao · 31-07-2021 06:17PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117687639#Comment_117687639

Lived just across the East Link. The traffic affected me for years. So I have plenty of experience of Sandymount traffic, rat runs, etc. Great fun taking up to 1.5 hours getting from Merrion Gates to the East Link roundabout at busy times. Strand Road makes a great car park and will remain so for a while now. Pity all vehicles don’t have automatic shut off when stopped to save poisoning people.

31-07-2021 06:27PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117687958#Comment_117687958

You do realise that within the decade the majority of cars will not have running motors in stationary traffic due to either having stop\start technology or being hybrids or being full electric vehicles.

31-07-2021 06:28PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117687885#Comment_117687885

You are right on that. No apology owed.

Fighting Tao · 31-07-2021 06:31PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117688016#Comment_117688016

You do realise that electric vehicles aren’t the answer to transit issues in Dublin and are still major pollutants during extraction of raw materials, processing, manufacturing, and charging? Also, near impossible to get the batteries recycled, prohibitive for new battery installs, and end up in scrap yard sooner than expected as a result.

I’m a dirty diesel driver just for clarity.

Cycle infrastructure planned for south Dublin

Comments