Advertisement
If you have a new account but are having problems posting or verifying your account, please email us on hello@boards.ie for help. Thanks :)
Hello all! Please ensure that you are posting a new thread or question in the appropriate forum. The Feedback forum is overwhelmed with questions that are having to be moved elsewhere. If you need help to verify your account contact hello@boards.ie

Parking and traffic in Phoenix Park

Options
1686971737486

Comments

  • Registered Users Posts: 11,524 ✭✭✭✭Flinty997


    There is no logic or consistency to the decisions in the park. They want cars out. But frequently make cars do even longer routes through it.

    It has become a main route and connector is because no alternative was ever planned or developed. Any possible alternate routes have been throttled to be slower than park. But yet they keep building more housing that will come through the park. But a fraction of the public transport to support it.

    Any suggestion of a ring road to direct traffic away from of the majority of the park is shot down.

    They normally close part of Chesterfield Ave during the weekends in the summer months. I guess thats dead in the water now.



  • Registered Users Posts: 23,813 ✭✭✭✭Larbre34


    Two words, water charges.

    In a Republic, laws that do not have popular acceptance do not last long.

    The people in cities accept the logic of 30 km/h in side roads and estates, not on primary, secondary and regional roads within those cities, as Dublin City Council tried and failed to do.

    Even if they were introduced, the Courts would so soon be clogged up with contested charges from the 90%+ non-compliance that it would be referred back to the Councils and the legislature quick smart.

    Fortunately, speed limit bye-laws are one of the few powers in the hands of Councillors and they seem to have a good handle on the public mood on this.



  • Registered Users Posts: 1,292 ✭✭✭em_cat


    They we’re, however given the size & the overtaking RR it presented a danger, enough of one that he was actually stopped by a Garda and was issued a ticket. I was taking the dogs for their walk so the Garda tracked me down as I was parking to let me know.



  • Moderators, Politics Moderators Posts: 38,871 Mod ✭✭✭✭Seth Brundle


    As someone who (IIRC) claimed to be an urban planner, your post is quite disappointing to read. Thankfully I know that not all MRUP graduates think like you.



  • Registered Users Posts: 23,813 ✭✭✭✭Larbre34


    Because its far less safe to direct significant traffic around the narrow and winding peripheral roads, than it is to keep it on the wide Avenue with the long sightlines and the best lighting.

    I'd have thought that much was obvious.

    As well as this, people always seem to forget there are 3,000 jobs located within the Park as well as huge visitor attractions. The Zoo, on a busy day, can get thousands through the gates. There is a hospital, a school, the Ordnance Survey, civil defence HQ, Garda HQ, Garda stables etc.

    Asking for no traffic on Chesterfield Avenue is just absolutely naive and its never going to happen.



  • Advertisement
  • Registered Users Posts: 23,813 ✭✭✭✭Larbre34


    I'm a realist, I've never pretended to be anything else. I never said I was MRUP either.

    Without public support for policy in this Country, we will get nowhere. We are seeing the results of a massive disconnect in the ideal of a Government and academia designed society and one acceptable to people in their daily lives. The priorities are totally at a odds, and while I cannot do anything to relieve your disappointment, I think you would accept that Irish people generally don't do well with policy that they are told is 'for their own good'.



  • Moderators, Politics Moderators Posts: 38,871 Mod ✭✭✭✭Seth Brundle


    Without public support for policy in this Country, we will get nowhere.

    So in terms of the climate crisis, we should do nothing inconvenient because the greens are **** and I like driving short journeys, etc.



  • Registered Users Posts: 15,868 ✭✭✭✭Spanish Eyes


    Every job you mention can be accessed via peripheral roads. The Zoo should be moved out of the Park to a brownfield site, use Lottery money to help do it, instantly thousands of cars and parking places no longer needed. This is being done re Bristol Zoo in UK, similar traffic issues. Garda HQ should be moved also, it is not suitable premises for a public park at all. The building is impressive though and could be used for other things surely.

    Chesterfield should not be a through road, I didn't say it should be completely closed. Access to peripheral routes could be maintained. There is a lot of closed thinking regarding improvements. Not saying mine are ideal either, but they could have been considered and reasons given as to why not.



  • Registered Users Posts: 23,813 ✭✭✭✭Larbre34


    You lost the room at "the Zoo should be moved out of the Park to a brownfield site."

    Please stop talking nonsense.



  • Registered Users Posts: 11,524 ✭✭✭✭Flinty997


    But ironically yet that's exactly what they do when they close a section of Chesterfield Ave every busy weekend in the summer.

    Also ironically all the facilities you list have access to perimeter roads and either don't have direct access to Chesterfield Ave or don't require it. Getting to them solely from the perimeter roads dramatically shorten car journeys to these facilities.

    All recent iniatives have done the opposite, lengthened car journeys in the park. Which would seem the opposite of the stated aims.



  • Advertisement
  • Posts: 18,749 ✭✭✭✭ [Deleted User]


    I wouldn't see an issue with moving the zoo to a purpose built zoo on a huge site somewhere else. It's a lovely area for it, and I realise there is a lot of history there. But they are very constrained for size. Mary McAleese was president when some of the Aras was given to the zoo to extend. It was very small before that.

    A bigger area could make for a really great zoo, with plenty of room somewhere else.



  • Posts: 0 [Deleted User]


    to be fair (and I posted same) Bristol Zoo is the 4th or 5th oldest in the world, was in a historic part of town since the early 1800s (right on Clifton Down), but was suffering parking and congestion problems. The highly emotive decision was taken to move it. And is in a better larger, more modern and more accessible location for all, and a better environment for the animals

    I think it is absolutely an equivalent to Dublin zoo



  • Registered Users Posts: 23,813 ✭✭✭✭Larbre34


    No, but the focus of the Country is on the wrong stuff.

    We are not investing in mass public transport in the cities quickly enough.

    Metro should be under construction, out to Knocklyon, not Charlemont.

    The original Dart+ which envisaged the Pearse Street hub and underground City centre route should be under construction.

    Luas to Finglas, Lucan and Bray should all be under construction.

    24 Hour trunk route bus services should all be in place.

    The move to promote repurposing for City Centre housing is 20 years behind.

    A model for lifelong co-operative apartment living in the cities is 20 years behind.

    The sourcing of alternative energy is also about 20 years behind. There is no ambition there.

    We shouldn't be starting with the inconvenient stuff, we should be starting with the inspirational stuff and letting the inconvenient stuff melt away as the new structure of City living naturally opens itself up to it, by obviating the need for private cars and by making the whole City navigable in one hour by seamless and comfortable public alternatives.



  • Posts: 0 [Deleted User]


    Regarding the zoo, I think if they moved the polo ground to elsewhere in the park, it would have all the space it would need for the next 100 years.



  • Registered Users Posts: 15,868 ✭✭✭✭Spanish Eyes


    A perfect example of closed thinking with no rebuttal or reply. There is absolutely no reason why Dublin zoo could not be moved out of the Park in due course. A lot of the current parking and access issues are down to the Zoo. There was an opportunity for a massive overhaul to the way the park works for the public but as I said, closed thinking, what will the public think? Just do it already and move everything that is not necessary out of it. Keep the US Ambassador's Residence, the Aras, the hospital. Move everything else out and repurpose the lovely buildings that we all pay for but have no access to. A public park is no place for any of them, including the aZoo.



  • Moderators, Politics Moderators Posts: 38,871 Mod ✭✭✭✭Seth Brundle


    A lot of the current parking and access issues are down to the Zoo.

    I would say that the parking issues are not down to the location of the zoo but down to the sense of entitlement we have created where most people believe they have a right to drive right to their destination.



  • Registered Users Posts: 23,813 ✭✭✭✭Larbre34


    Jesus Christ the obtuseness.

    Have you sense of history, of heritage?

    The Park, without all those places you list, is just a field!

    Let's move Dublin Castle out beyond the Airport, let's put Dáil Éireann in Athy. Let's ask Trinity College to decamp to Carrickmines so we can put high speed bikes lanes from Pearse Street to Dame Street.

    The Zoo is there 191 years. The Viceregal Lodge is there 270 years. Deerfield opened the same year as the United States became independent.

    What you're saying is total and absolute nonsense and if you suggested it seriously to Dublin people you'd be lucky to get away with your hide intact.

    Can we stop talking stupid now please.



  • Posts: 18,749 ✭✭✭✭ [Deleted User]


    I still think it would be better for the zoo. Bigger modern site, loads of room for expansion. It could be amazing



  • Registered Users Posts: 15,868 ✭✭✭✭Spanish Eyes


    Of course I have a sense of heritage. No need to knock the buildings down at all, just re use them for the benefit of the public. As it is I have never seen the inside of the Garda HQ, nor have I had the need to go inside St. Mary's (the former Royal Hibernian Military School), nor the Ordnance Survey, nor any of the other wonderful buildings. But I have visited Farmleigh, and was very impressed. At least I could get inside the big house and wander the grounds. but we paid €29mil for it, and money well spent at that. At least we can see inside it. Same for Ashtown visitor centre, nice coffee too.

    The Zoo should be moved eventually. Just my opinion, it could be in a great open space that is easily accessible to all, not just those who have cars parked nose to tail everywhere around it.

    There are no cars allowed in Bru na Boinne. Maybe we could think of doing something similar for access to the zoo and other areas of the park in the meantime. Park the car in IMMA and get the flying bridge across to the bus. Sounds great.



  • Registered Users Posts: 5,470 ✭✭✭Former Former Former


    Move the zoo?! To where?



  • Advertisement
  • Registered Users Posts: 3,686 ✭✭✭horse7




  • Posts: 0 [Deleted User]


    same story as Bristol. Same age of zoo in fact. 1830s. Same arguments. Heritage, history, etc etc. Went on for years, probably a decade of back and forth, and your post could have been copied from the letters pages of the Post. But, eventually, modernisation (and parking and congestion) caught up with history and it was moved to a modern purpose built facility

    not saying it would or should happen here in the short term, but I believe in the long run it should and probably will



  • Registered Users Posts: 23,813 ✭✭✭✭Larbre34


    I would love to be a fly on the wall of the meeting where the first poor fool suggested it.



  • Registered Users Posts: 5,470 ✭✭✭Former Former Former


    Knowing the OPW they'd probably send him off to do a five year feasibility study



  • Registered Users Posts: 11,524 ✭✭✭✭Flinty997


    I could care less if they moved the zoo. But I know it's significance

    But its beyond comical the way people won't hear of changing a gate for historical reasons, even if it's a safety issue. Or even any other things in the park. But are quite happy to make enormous changes to an equally historical zoo.

    Zero consistency.



  • Posts: 18,749 ✭✭✭✭ [Deleted User]


    The zoo could be moved for the benefit of the zoo. Not because of any parking reasons!



  • Registered Users Posts: 11,524 ✭✭✭✭Flinty997


    I'm utterly confused what the OPW want. They close and open gates and roads with no consistent logic. They want people, they don't want people.

    Wasn't there a plan to have bridge out to the memorial gardens at one point.



  • Registered Users Posts: 11,524 ✭✭✭✭Flinty997


    I've been on elevated walkways and tree walks in other parks. You move a leaf in Phoenix Park OPW go into meltdown.



  • Registered Users Posts: 11,524 ✭✭✭✭Flinty997



    So you want to copy Bristol Zoo...



    ".....The decision to close the zoo and relocate was taken after the second national lockdown, with the zoo having missed out on large sums of money due to dwindling numbers in the spring and summer - a time when zoos are usually at their busiest in the year....

    ...Plans to build more than 200 homes on the current site, and a public park were revealed late last year, to ‘safe-guard’ the future of the site.

    The process is currently underway to sell all 12 acres of the land, with the subsequent housing to provide a solid income for the new zoo at the Wild Place.

    The Charity claims that a fifth of the new homes to be built, will be affordable to those looking to purchase a house, or below the current market rate.

    The grounds will still remain open to the general public, free of charge. A conservation hub, an exhibition space, a children’s play area and a lake will feature when the move is completed later this year..."



  • Advertisement
  • Registered Users Posts: 23,813 ✭✭✭✭Larbre34


    The OPW are unfortunately the political play thing of national and local politics.

    What they want, I think, is to preserve as much of the Park in its historical layout as possible. An open and largely wild landscape, whose primary function is as a deer park. Since Dublin has grown, it has become a large urban Park too and also a venue for large national attractions.

    Those are not all easy circles to square. When the vehicle gates were almost all closed, early in Covid, that was to discourage people travelling further than walking distance, as was required at the time. That backfired in a few different ways and so was reversed.

    They keep getting told to change the priority and the mobility policy on the internal roads and so its not a surprise that everything changes so frequently.

    Hopefully now, once this experiment is over, we'll be able to see a long term permanency to sensible changes. Changes that encourage people into the Park to use it sustainably, not to drive them away.

    I think an elevated walk would be an excellent idea, why not over in the Furry Glen woods, might drive away some of the batty boys and spare the families that use that area some awkward explanations to their kids.



Advertisement