Well what they will do is come up with as many dumb plans as possible until they wear people down. That how we got a 2 Billion + Hospital with no room to expand.
What's caused all these issue is the authorities not retaining old train lines, canals, and land either side in case of possible future expansion. Not enough room for bridges. They build right up to the boundary of everything. Then to top it, its people who don't even live beside these developments and not effected by them, telling locals to suck it up.
So do nothing? Some of the imagination deployed by objectors on the canal merit a Nobel prize. The imminent hogweed day of the triffid infestation is my favourite. On the proposed tree planting one clown came out with the great line: Shure if they like trees so much can't they go to the Phoenix Park?
I'm not entirely sure what (or where) you're referring to.
Look I grew up beside the canal and still live nearby,,...hence my keen interest. What's happening is generally positive. When "I wer a lad" the canal was deserted apart from youngfellas looking for trouble and the occasional cider party. I was one of them. Besides, look on the bright side. I was recently over on the southside canal on the stretch from Inchicore (Richmond) to Bluebell and beyond. Its a kip in comparison. U could (God forbid) be a southsider 😎
Would be nice, but I imagine it would need to be subsidised. Can't imagine it could sustain business from greenway users, could it?
Maybe then best go for vending machine or even go coffee delivery with train stations/boats not million miles away
Sounds like a nice idea. Unlike other parts of the canal, I've never met anyone out there anytime i've been on the Rye viaduct or Leixlip waterfall/spa baths. Worth a try anyway.
I'm not sure what time of night you go there then! There are always people there from people walking, jogging, cycling and even some sitting on the furniture that had been provided a few years ago.
I only 'discovered' the Royal Canal during the covid lockdown despite being in D15 since 2004. Great amenity and the thought of being able to do a Friday evening walk from Mulhuddart to Leixlip (and sometimes onward to Maynooth) kept me going through many of those bleak wfh weeks in the summer of 2020. Have continued using it since.
I can see both sides of the rough track/proper surface debate. I'm really glad that I got to experience it when it was a wide variety of surfaces and the grass trails were probably my favourite part. However, it'll also be great if a better surface enables more people to be able to use it safely and confidently. And even from my point of view a better surface would enable it to be used in months like March/April/November whereas currently there can be really unpleasant muddy sections.
So for me there's understandable nostalgia for what is being 'lost', but it really seems that what is coming is going to be an improvement for everyone.
it's simple enough; if you live in clonsilla, say, and work in the IFSC - with the greenway complete/usable, you'd be able to cycle from home to work 95% of the way on the greenway.
someone mentioned in the last few pages, something along the lines of 'having the phoenix park option', but that implies cycling along the quays; which is obvously improved from what it was a few years ago, but still a different scenario from cycling on a greenway.
It's nice alternative route on a nice day. A bit longer but sometimes you want a spin.
Confey to Louisa bridge still closed! How long has that been now for one small section? Did it originally close in November 2022? If thats how the greenway project is going to progress, it will be a long, long time before anyone can cycle a from the Quays to Maynooth on it.
I remember when the original Ashtown to Ratoath Road section was built buy the developer (2005?). IIRC the towpath was closed for 6 months. That is about 500m shorter than Confey/Louisa Bridge and was built by someone without bureaucracy overheads.
I live in Clonsilla and work in the IFSC and cycle year round but would never use the greenway. Way too many obstacles with gates, barriers and pedestrians. Granted I can see the appeal for a leisurely cycle but it would be ridiculously inefficient for regular commuting. The 14km door to door takes must just over 30mins cycle time and about 35-40min depending how out of sync the lights are on the quays. Since Covid the Phoenix Park and even the quays are great, massive improvement.
+1, a couple of years ago there was talk of Irish Rail selling land at Heutson Station to build apartment buildings. Never heard anything so stupid, no future planning for expansion of Heuston St itself for ever more.
I emailed too ask for an update as too why its closed and you guessed it, no reply
Phone them - much harder to ignore you then.
Their Cycling and Sustainable Transport Officer is Declan Keogh. He seems to be on twitter: https://twitter.com/DeclanTKeogh and I found him listed at: https://www.roadsafetyknowledgecentre.org.uk/organisation/organisations-i-k/rskc-organisation-185/
Similar commute, but my times were a big longer than yours. Haven't done it since before lockdown. Must try it again and see what difference it makes.
I liked the Canal as an alternative. But it was about 15mins slower than the park. I assume its slower now with more walkers on it.
Still its nice to have the choice.
Some joined up cycle paths in Dublin 15 to the park would be nice. Too many fragmented routes around.
it's 10.6km from the humpack bridge to the convention centre along the canal, and 10.2km via castleknock/PP/quays - where would you have seen the biggest delays along the canal?
i didn't calculate distance from clonsilla, as the canal from clonsilla is not feasible currently due to the deep sinking.
Humpback to you mean Castleknock station? Or 12th lock or...?
at castleknock station.
For me back then pre lock down it was the gates and crossing roads and pedestrians. Don't know what its like now. Also its a 1km longer than through the park for me. But the park has far less stoppages. On a sunny day going home pedestrians really slowed you down. Same in the park. But the on road lane and no parking should make the park even faster now. You just lock into a rhythm.
My route is 13.5-14k, I'm going a bit further either end.
I think one advantage of having the greenway such as those along the Royal or Grand Canals is that it allows people to cycle most of the way to work but who would not do that journey along the main roads. Having to go an extra km or two would be worth it to them.
Definitely. Its different journey off road. Something that would encourage people to try more than an on road route.
Worth noting, for those of you who haven't cycled it in a while, a lot of the kissing gates have been removed.
How far does the RCW go in Dub cc now ?
to the Liffey ?
Goes to the docklands. So a short hop across two roads and very short cycle path to the liffey. So basically yes.
https://www.google.com/maps/@53.3506102,-6.2404708,3a,75y,222.24h,79.04t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1sIsEAZ6WJLN4Mp6OSIBjblQ!2e0!7i16384!8i8192?entry=ttu
Bang on the money regarding both the hospital and the mad zeal to built right on top of every bit of critical infrastructure.
Interesting article about how "urban greenways bring benefits for physical and mental health, biodiversity and local businesses"
https://www.rte.ie/brainstorm/2023/0531/1386622-castletroy-limerick-urban-greenway-health-transport-community-benefits/
Anyone know the distance from Cloondara to the beginning of the Longford branch?
