Traffic Congestion.

20-10-2021 5:39pm #1

Is it me or has traffic really got worse since even before covid ?

The amount of crashes on the N7 is unreal, what are they going to do about people using their phones ? this is probably worse than Drink driving, this is a lot of road missed by the time they fumble around with the phone.

I wonder who's working from home and if they have the chance why would they sit in all that traffic clogging roads for those who need to use them ?

I think it's really time Ireland introduce flexible hrs by law and not leave it to the discretion of the company in many instances it shouldn't matter what time you start/finish as long as the work is done, sure there certain times this isn't possible but it's possible for a lot of People.

The N7.M50 mostly isn't fit for purpose, the slip roads are too many and too short, why can't we have proper multi story over passes like they can in other countries ? look at long mile road junction for instance, a complete and utter joke.

Murph85 · 20-10-2021 5:44pm

its an absolute farce, they build a sprawling car dependent city. Appalling public transport... as good as free motor tax on most cars... Then the roads here, for a car dependent city, they are what you would expect to find in a modest size town. Its so typically Irish...

In my area in Dublin, they are constantly reducing the amount of lanes? the result? way more congestion, air pollution and the public transport, held up far longer, because the roads are not wide enough for dedicated bus lanes! Its total and utter lunacy!

donvito99 · 20-10-2021 8:20pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118049310#Comment_118049310

The bus service would be class if the roads weren't completely given over to general traffic.

20-10-2021 8:38pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118050041#Comment_118050041

That’s the issue. The buses are slow because there is so much traffic. But no one will get out of their cars, because the buses are so slow. Because of all the cars

Murph85 · 20-10-2021 8:57pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118050041#Comment_118050041

no it wouldnt, stopping every few seconds, still accepting cash! they are insufferable!

20-10-2021 9:22pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118050408#Comment_118050408

I find it a little strange how drivers seem content to leave things how they are, despite the hours spend in the traffic and congestion

donvito99 · 21-10-2021 9:29am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118050408#Comment_118050408

Capped congestion charge on general traffic at peak times to cross the canals (exempting commercial vehicles) to pay for all bus fares - problem solved.

Miscreant · 21-10-2021 9:51am

Traffic is definitely worse than before Covid. I think part of the reason is a lot of people who used Public Transport to get to work before, are now using their cars as they may be hesitant to get back on a packed bus/train. I am seeing traffic jams around my housing estate that were never there before Covid and they have been gradually building up since the summer.

Murph85 · 21-10-2021 9:56am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118051952#Comment_118051952

I would agree with a euro or one euro fifty cent charge to cross the canal. This money should be ringfenced for public transport and particularly rail investment in the Dublin area...

3rd world infrastructure in dublin and as good as free motor tax, no congestion charges and no tolls for most people. A sprawling car dependent city... what do you expect?

Flinty997 · 21-10-2021 10:44am

There is no solving the problem of traffic. Other than not be traffic.

If traffic is a problem for you, then its likely you are also traffic. Catch 22.

Andrewf20 · 21-10-2021 12:51pm

M4 - M50 commuting here. I dont think its worse than before covid. M4 is the same as 2019 in the morning, the M50 seems a little faster moving southbound. Evening traffic northbound is around 70% of what it used to be.

Flinty997 · 21-10-2021 3:46pm

In the city areas I travel. Roads lanes have been reduced, lights changed to give longer to pedestrians during lockdown, not switched back as far as I know, and many new one way roads and other turning restrictions. Mostly not effected though as I'm WFH.

magicbastarder · 21-10-2021 3:53pm

simple; canvas your local TDs for improved public transport and cycling facilities.

21-10-2021 3:54pm

I think the N7 is definitely much worse not to mention the near daily crashes.

Public transport is a serious issue. I can't take it, not a hope and most people are the same, you either come to Dublin city or nowhere on a train commute to Dublin, get a train to the city and spend 1 hr on a bus to get where you want ?

No Underground ? seriously, this isn't even on the thoughts of any ministers. Dublin needs a subway system and the longer we put it off the worse it will be.

The multistore overpasses don't exist here, again, we do things half assed, the Irish way, traffic must end with lights or roundabouts all the time or slip roads are inadequate and even exiting most of the N7 you end at a roundabout in queues of traffic, again, no proper overpasses, just slip roads to roundabouts.

Buddy Bubs · 21-10-2021 8:01pm

Traffic is human behaviour, look at all the single occupancy cars. I'd wager at least some of them don't need to be commuting on their own in a car and have plenty of options. Not all before anyone takes it that I'm saying that.

Roads can cope very well with certain traffic levels and slowdowns increase exponentially the more that level is exceeded.

I only have a 6km trip to work and I could get train or cycle but I don't. However I can't stand people in wok complaining about traffic when they live even closer than I do. You are the traffic.

I work from home until after 9 and hit the office for about 930 and traffic is gone. I make sure I leave before 5 and I get home handy too, might do a small bit ar home if I have to.

That 6km journey could be 30 mins at peak times, feck that

Chiparus · 21-10-2021 8:09pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118052047#Comment_118052047

there is already a congestion charge on the Port tunnel €10 at peak times, seems to work , a euro charge won't stop anyone.

magicbastarder · 21-10-2021 8:31pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118054823#Comment_118054823

it's kinda nuts how inefficient single occupancy cars are. for example, if you were to park up the entire 'three lane' M50 (i.e. from the M1 junction to the sandyford exit) with cars - allowing 5m per car, all four lanes in each direction, you'd get a little over half the capacity of croke park with one occupant per car.

Del2005 · 24-10-2021 9:25am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118050227#Comment_118050227

The trip from my home to the city centre on the bus is ~50 minutes off peak and just over an hour peak. Public transport is already full at peak time so even if there were no cars on the roads how many buses would we need to transport all the people at peak and what would we do with them off peak, because running 11 tonne vehicles nearly empty isn't very good for the environment and leaving expensive vehicles sitting isn't good for the taxpayer.

whippet · 24-10-2021 9:29am

If your sitting in the traffic .. remember you are part of the problem.

no point moaning about those who are in rush hour traffic when you are doing the exact same thing.

4 years ago our company did a study on how long we all spent sitting in traffic / m50 / fuel burned / toll charges and switched the whole company to remote working .. the office is still there if we need / want it .. 10% of the staff go to the office more than once a week .. productivity / staff retention and profits are increased .. which has been verified by consultants who did a review.

hopefully covid will bring more employers in to the same line of thinking

24-10-2021 11:35am

We really do need flexible working laws in Ireland and not leave it at the discretion of the company.

I have no choice but to take the car and car pooling would not be practical and there's only 3 of us + there's no one that I can drive to work nor could drive me but more should be done to incentivise car pooling. Free tolls, reduced tax etc.

One issue I would have with car pooling is if people are not Punctual, I'm a very punctual person and it annoys me when People are 10 mins + late. Late picking me up either end or not ready when I'm there to pick them up would drive me nuts.

Sam Russell · 24-10-2021 11:41am

If buses travel 50% faster due to less congestion or proper bus lanes, then 100 buses will do the work formerly done by 150 congested buses. If a bus can travel faster than previously, then it will attract more commuters. As more commuters travel by bus rather than car, this will reduce congestion. A win win situation.

They could start this effect by reducing the availability of on street parking, and using this reduction to improve the reach of bus lanes.

Of course, proper enforcement of bus lanes is an obvious starting point. Whatever happened to those traffic wardens?

24-10-2021 11:42am

I was coming from the Blanch site Friday evening and the Red Cow Junction is a horrendous joke, backed up for miles along the M50 Slip road North, half the M50 heading for the N7 and it's chaos and highly dangerous with trucks.

Why did we never get proper fly-overs in our design of roads, it's a very poor job, we must be a laughing stock, slip roads then end with a roundabout at other Motorway exits. Causes Chaos at City West and Rathcoole which are more junctions not fit for purpose.

You can say what you want about the amount of cars on the road but the reality is the road network is extremely poorly designed and inefficient. And we're decades away from a proper public transport network and why the continued resistance to a Subway System in Dublin is a complete and utter mystery. They can only think more buses but they need to start moving People underground. It's really sad in 2021 that a subway system isn't even being thought about.

It can take me 1 hr 10 mins to 2 hrs to get from Carlow to Blanch leaving at 8 am, that's a joke!

zell12 · 24-10-2021 12:17pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118052020#Comment_118052020

According to the CSO, it is not worse. It is roughly the same. And buses are now full at peak times

Sept 2021 - 'car traffic volumes are now at 90% of Aug 2019 levels in Dublin area and 88% of Aug 2019 levels in regional locations. HGV traffic volumes are 3% higher in Dublin and 4% higher in regional sites compared with the same week in 2020'

24-10-2021 12:37pm

N7 traffic is definitely a lot worse.

It would be good if they could ban HGV at peak times. There's more and more HGV using lane 2 and 3 today than ever and refusing to move back to lane 1.

markpb · 24-10-2021 9:04pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118065797#Comment_118065797

Those HGVs are making trips that do not usually have an alternative. The same cannot be said for all the motorists on the same road.

25-10-2021 12:16am

Maybe not for them all but certainly not for me giving the nature of my work.

I struggle to understand why anyone would choose to sit in such traffic if they have an alternative ?

25-10-2021 12:22am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118069325#Comment_118069325

I think that many people like it. Perhaps it’s convenient time spent away from pressures at home, or else the only ‘alone time’ people have. That is genuinely the only reason that I can think of for the lack of appetite to do anything about it

Whatwicklow · 25-10-2021 7:44am

The n7 merely moves the traffic closer to the m50 quicker.

You can't get in to the m50 quicker, so it tails back.

More lanes, flyover, longer slips don't discourage the problem which is cars.

Cars create traffic, not bus's cyclists pedestrian etc.. Fix the problem

25-10-2021 8:40am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118069338#Comment_118069338

I don't believe anyone wants to sit in such traffic by choice. Like me, many, most People have no choice.

Even back roads are chocked due to sat navs diverting people the same roads, I couldn't count the amount of times Waze lead me into more traffic than it got me out of...... Google isn't a whole lot better, but it is better.

25-10-2021 8:45am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118069580#Comment_118069580

The slip roads greatly slow down traffic on the N7 because they are completely inadequate and traffic jumps onto the n7 mostly at very slow speeds slowing the N7 down.

The M50 isn't actually that bad once you get on it heading north, again, from the N7 the slowdown and tailbacks are mostly due to the M50 slip road, completely inadequate and the traffic from Clondalkin/Luas merging there at that point is a disaster.

Poorly designed roads. They need companies experienced with creating proper road networks to design the roads in Ireland because no one has a clue here.

But if we could get more People working from home it would be better.

AndrewJRenko · 25-10-2021 9:34am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118069663#Comment_118069663

Lots of people choose to drive for short journeys that are easily walked or cycled. So they really are sitting in traffic by choice.

Traffic Congestion.

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