Parking and traffic in Phoenix Park

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.

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

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.

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.

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..."

I dunno they seem to just decide to do something then get reigned in by political and public pressure. Rather than the other way around.

You can't say they don't have wild ideas...

I really don't believe that.

Anyway, why is this nonsense thought that any changes to things like this is based on a popularity contest so prevalent on this thread? Is it people trying to convince themselves that a minute or two inconvenience to themselves is so hated by the general public that it's become an echo chamber? So much so that the factual comment as to the additional seconds it adds becomes a circle jerk of ranting against the Green Party, who have nothing to do with this.

I'd be shocked if they roll back the 30 km limit. It might go completely ignored and totally unenforced but it will remain in place.

Your point? I’ve no issues with the amount of available parking. It’s the speed limit change that’s the problem.

There's 9 car parks in the phoenix park.

I'm a daily user of the park - it's on my cycle route to work. I'd also occasionally drive to go for a walk or kick a ball with my son. We'll sometimes cycle there was well. I'm glad that there's safe cycling provided along Chesterfield avenue - although I was perfectly happy with the old cycle way. Issue was with the mass parking in the hard shoulder, pedestrian / cyclist encounters were frequent as people came from their cars and inevitably across the cycle way to get to the inner pedestrian path. Pedestrians straying on the cycle path was an issue at summer time and peak, for example Christmas events. Also around the zoo could get hairy with people straying on the cycle path.

Or perhaps this inner path could have been retained and used for cycling - the surface is not great in parts. So the Chesterfield solution with the bollards is probably the best solution given the infrastructure available. I'm also glad to see the parking gone off Chesterfield avenue - it was dangerous with people trying to get across and I've seen many a near miss with people (sometimes children) popping out from between cars into busy traffic trying to cross - dedicated pedestrian crossings will improve this.

I am also acutely aware of the car culture that prevails - I too am a driver. A number of years ago, I posted a thread about being overtaken while stopped at the raised ramp leading to Ashtown Castle by an impatient driver - I stopped to let a young family cross, mother and father, wheeling a pram and a young kid with a new bike who'd strayed about 20 meters in front of them and was following the path to the raised ramp to cross. This was on a St Stephen's day and the comments (I think I posted it in the motoring forum) condoning the driver that overtook me was a bit of an eye opener. Apparently, it's not a proper pedestrian crossing, so I shouldn't have stopped or given way to them and I would have been liable for an accident .So that's hat you're up against.

On the 30 kph limit, I'd be okay with 50 kph being retained. Problem was, 50 kph became 80 kph handy enough. At the moment, some drivers are maintaining the 30 kph, but there's some crazy overtaking going on with impatient drivers. Only way to police it (what ever limit is decided on) would be average speed cameras. But I do realise there's an issue with enforcing this and that the Gardai have limited powers in enforcing speed limits in the park. Ultimately, the only thing that'll work is some form of policing, as drivers will soon realise the 30 kph is unenforceable.