Spoke to 3 different people today, all mid 30s and residents in the area, that are highly unimpressed at the plans to remove lanes of traffic in the area. None of them looking at the benefits of having safe and segregated cycling facilities on their doorstep, the primary concern is more traffic. Sadly I am now realising this plan will fail due to loud mouthed objectors.
Being realistic, unless you're cycling, having safe and segregated cycling infrastructure is not going to be a primary concern
Ah but they all bought brand new EV's so the environment is safe now... :-/
One of them messaged me expressing his disgust at the plans, expecting me to be in agreement. All the usual tropes came out when I pointed out the positive elements of the plan. Irish people are just wedded to their cars.
That may be so, but again, I wouldn't expect people who don't cycle, and therefore won't use the infrastructure, to be particularly excited or happy about it.
Maybe they don't cycle because there's no safe cycling infra?
In which case they'd be saying to you "it's brilliant, now I can sell my car and buy a bike". But they're not saying that, because they're going to continue driving to work, and the shops, and everywhere else.
In my experience, people who say they would cycle except for (insert excuse), don't really want to cycle. They'll just find another excuse if you knock down the first one. If they actually wanted to be cycling, they'd be on a bike.
So to go back to my original point, I'm completely unsurprised that people who don't use bikes are not happy about cycling infrastructure
Well they're never gonna be happy and councils will never please everyone, but Dublin still needs safe cycling infrastructure and a city that's for people not cars...
Absolutely. Just don't be surprised when people complain 😀
a) People don't like change. The square in the town over from me was pedestrianised during one of the lockdowns. The owner of one of the cafés that benefitted most from it was initially a strong voice against it.
B) That 'possibly' sound a lot like 'might'. I know there's a strong inclination towards "build it and they will come", and that cycling groups would like to think that better infrastructure means more people cycling, but it might just mean better infrastructure for people who cycle.
There are (and I know this is anecdotal) plenty of people I know personally who simply have no interest in having or cycling a bike, and definitely not for commuting purposes. It doesn't matter how many greenways, protected cycle lanes, or any other form of infrastructure is put in place, they won't use it.
to be fair, there's a difference between not using infrastructure and not welcoming it.
if a local shop dedicated two previously 'general' parking spaces as disabled spaces, very few would complain, because most people see the benefit. even if they know that has reduced the available spaces for them by two.
Yep, I agree. I think the changes we're making in this country are slowly going in the right direction, but so much more could be done in every town and village in the country, not just the cities.
I'm just pointing out that we probably shouldn't be surprised at people's reactions to these changes.
it's not actually removing lanes of car traffic though is it? Just parking spaces on Sybil Hill. My parents live just off Gracefield and both filled in the consultation in favour of it, they would actually be more likely to cycle to St Anne's if this lane is there.
But yes, I would imagine most people in the area will be against it because the sight of wands drives most people nuts and their Eamon Ryan hate-o-meter goes off the charts.
The 2 x short lanes to turn right from Sybil Hill and Brookwood Ave are to be removed as per the plans. I live near your folks Monk and the traffic on Brookwood Ave often gets backed up as far as Brookwood Rise with vehicles queuing to access Howth Road. Taking away the right turn slip will make this worse, but so be it.
Oh so it will just be one lane to the lights. Yeah I can't see that happening, there'd be murder.
https://www.loveclontarf.ie/news/gracefield-road-to-vernon-avenue-walking-and-cycling-scheme/?fbclid=IwAR1rxAurWWlZW2XRMfUv3pq3iWTdC1hNRARxFk8yS6itdZvyZVtwcLd6PrY
I just cycled by the junction and took a closer look at the right hand turn slip. It only has space for 6 vehicles at a push. But what tends to happen is vehicles create a 2nd lane in the main lane of the road, usually by crossing the white line.
FFS
Just when it looked like they were making good progress. 🤣
From Canal End in Croke park yesterday looking out on to cycle track progress. Looks very advanced. I'm still unhappy about been forced up onto the road and can't just go under the bridges but i do understand space and safety must've been a factor.
Saw something posted about that section opening in the next week or so.
Just checked, and it's just the section between Newcomen and Clarke bridge that's opening soon.
Section from Dorset St. still looks a good bit off.
Haven't seen much of any progress from Dorset street in a long time. I hope it's still on course to open in August. It'll be a very handy spin from Ashtown to City Centre using this and the south quays cycle route, I could even take a friend who isn't an experienced cyclist and otherwise wouldn't have otherwise dreamed of such a trip by bike because of the scale of aggression from cars.
While passing and having a look at new planting gone in at the Fairview Avenue junction, got very close to being left hooked by a driver. Which proves the point that a lot of them just don't look regardless of what's in the way of their view.
Section between Newcomen and Clarke's bridge open now.
Clarke to Bloody Sunday bridge expected to open 21st July, and then the next section to Binn's bridge by 15 August.
I was looking at the drawings for the proposed airport viewing area on the Fingal Planning website. i see a proposed bicycle lane. This would be great. Very dangerous stretch of road to cycle on I find with the speed and also impatience of drivers.
Don't know the extent of the bike lane
Have you guys tried out the new Parliment Street road closure and linking bicycle infrastructure that brings you all the way to the top of Capel Street? It's brilliant.
I work on the southside and live over the north side so I usually cycle all the way from Trinity up Dame street and then go down Fishamble Street to get onto the quays. Then dealing with the horror is the quays. Not to mention a bit of a hairy contraflow cycle lane down Fishamble Street with cars flying up towards you.
No more! 😁
Can now turn right up Parliment Street at City Hall and you can cycle all the way up a new contraflow cycle lane that goes across Grattan Bridge and then links you up on another contraflow cycle lane to get you onto Capel Street - which is of course all pedestrianised.
So from Dame Street all the way to the top of Capel Street / Kings Inn.
Absolutely delighted so I am. Really makes a huge difference.
The royal canal greenaway project seems to have gone pear shaped. They're digging up the finished section and have deleted all other updates other than the one that says they're digging up a finished section
might be one to send to something like the dublin inquirer to make inquiries as to what's happening?
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