Athlone thread

What's the best way to book a taxi in Athlone? Do people use Free Now or should I try a local taxi firm? If the latter does anyone have any recommendations? TIA.

Just to add, I'll need to get from a business at the edge of town to the train station between 3.30 - 4pm in the afternoon.

Thanks. Any particular company you use?

Dont know about anyone else, but its getting abit ridiculous on the old barracks road, along the river. I know they're doing alot of work there, but all the cars keep parking on the opposite side of the road across from the rowing clubhouse. It leaves no room now for cars to pass if traffic is coming from the other side, and only 50m around the corner there is any amount of parking spaces outside the old railway house!

Since the electric buses came in, timetable reliability is gone way down. Waiting 45 minutes now at the mill for a bus to come. Two came by already but both were billed as out of service.

Would have to wonder why the ev buses are having that affect?

Need to be charged, so out of service more ?

Honestly couldn't think of a worse hell than needing to use a bus in a small town like this. The few times I have used them you do get left waiting. If you value your time and are able bodied, then the bike, your 2 feet or a car (owned or shared) are the only solutions.

Won't be getting bus lanes in my lifetime in small towns like this.

I've also used it going out a few times. Much cheaper than a taxi. It's a real pity we don't have bus lanes. Badly need them now to ensure priority for public transport.

I guess people would end up using the strand as a rat run. Bit of a conundrum that way.

Biproduct of the pedestrianisation has been the amount of knacker drinking youd see on the benches there. Its still not quite a pedestrian friendly town given the company you'd be keeping around there. Town in general feels less safe than it used to.

The housing estates built in Baylough have 4 parking spaces between them.

Yes climate change yada yada but jaysus 1 space a house is really too much to ask. Walked by it other day and everyone parking on kerbs.

I think a lot of it went to social housing. So maybe the local authorities/builders feel people who need social housing probably can't afford cars either

They still need somewhere a car can pull in to drop them and help them move stuff etc.

The houses are also sillily out on the roadside. Better some built than nothing but you'd get bugger all sleep there with the F1 track the road to Monksland has become.

I see less than 2 weeks in and the place looks like a dump already , Cables strewn out of vents with CCTV cameras cable tied to downpipes etc. Bin Bags being used as curtains etc etc....

Anyone know where Britta filters can be recycled now? I used to just drop them into Argos, they had a box in the corner for used filters, but obviously they're now closed.

Havent seen any anywhere else!

My local one is beside this playground in monksland. https://www.google.ie/maps/place/Playground+Monksland/@53.4238061,-7.9826746,21z/data=!4m6!3m5!1s0x485c49d73089fe93:0xd1a6c44dbda0494e!8m2!3d53.4239373!4d-7.9828921!16s%2Fg%2F11g2npm74y?entry=ttu

Bridge to open August 8 according to the Windo.

Id love something named after Turley O Connor or Amby Fogarty to highlight a glorious time in the football team's history.

If we cant name it after a person, then maybe "Redundant Bridge"?

Mary Ó'Rourke bridge must be the favourite if any bookie is running a book.

I'd prefer John McCormack myself.

Can we not just come up with a name that people will use? No one, and I mean no one will refer to the bridge as "Mary O'Rourke Bridge". It'll be known as the bike bridge or the new bridge or something simple. This craic of naming things after people is done to death.

How about "Jadotville Bridge" ?

Just call it Cromwell's Way....

Linking Hell and Connaught...