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Let's Be Honest Public Transport in Ireland is an Abominaiton Because it is Meant to Be...

ArcadiaJunction

I was looking over the current progress for the Dublin Metro and it is entirely conceivable that we could wait a half-century before anyone gets on a train. One simple metro line when were should be on our third and fourth metro line by now. Yes, I know about the planning issues, the legalities, and the NIMBYs but it still does not account for where we are in late 2023. Navan could be opened in a year and all the passing loops and so on needed to create capacity the same. Yet the timelines presented are truly staggering and offered up as if we should be impressed. It is truly astounding. Rather than the politicians and civil servants being embarrassed and trying to solve and streamline these bottlenecks out of the way, I am now fully convinced that the politicians and civil servants - if anything - pander to the bottlenecks on purpose as a kind of sabotage.

I honestly can't say for sure why this is, but there is a genuine and evidential clandestine war on public transport (mostly in Dublin) by the state and its bureaucrats. They are constantly on the lookout to find ways to kick the can down the road for all eternity.

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[Deleted User]

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121158608#Comment_121158608

What's the car ownership rates for Dundrum please?

Did you mean to say 'local people with cars being able...' there? Why do you keep assuming that everyone in Dundrum or visiting Dundrum or passing through Dundrum has a car and wants to use their car and can afford to use their car? So many assumptions there.

Let's be honest, what this is REALLY about is the business owners wanting to keep access for their own personal cars, so they get to drive in and park at their front doors and to hell with everyone else. They've been stirring up a mob for months with exaggerated stories and zero evidence. It's particularly galling to see the doctor and the pharmacist opposing active travel measures, but perhaps it's not in their interest to improve the health of the population.

Where was there concern for the older people who can't drive?

Beta Ray Bill

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121158576#Comment_121158576

I used to frequent the area (and hated it mind you)

The Traffic is goosed in Dundrum because someone built a massive shopping centre in it and then to make matters worse they took away lanes in favour of cycle lanes and made large parts of Dundrum a one way system. This is further compounded by the light sequence at Dargan Bridge.

Basically, there was no planning.

I'd hazard a guess that people using their cars are dropping their kids off to school or doing some local journey that doesn't suit public transport. Public transport in Dublin is only good if you're going to or from the city centre. (I use the DART every day)

We've talked on here before and I know you're super pro cycling and that's grand, but for a large number of people cycling or public transport isn't an option. I've to head from Raheny to Swords later. In a Car it's 25 mins, using public transport you're talking 1 hour 30 mins (train and two buses). Cycling is about an hour (if you don't care about your life #dodgeyroadstocycleon) and about an 1 hour 15 min if you go the safer way.

Buses are no use, we need a rail systems built. In relation to the Nimby'ism the worst offender of all for the Metro is Dublin Airport... which is shocking.

hans aus dtschl

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121159494#Comment_121159494

Not an argument for me to be interested in, but it looks from Google maps like Raheny to Swords is around 12km. Would possibly be faster by bike than car tbh. Possibly a bad argument against cycling, if ever you were to pick one.

Hotblack Desiato

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121158078#Comment_121158078

People may say 'what about the billions spent on consultants?" but this is part of the evil too.

What billions spent on consultants?

Sam Russell

Make the public transport free or nearly free.

Already a huge % of the population have a free pass, so if the rest got a 90 min ticket for €1, then who would go any other way.

If only the buses went towards where we want to go!

Podge_irl

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121159797#Comment_121159797

Making public transport free is not remotely the solution - frankly it would just make things worse. The issue is not the price, it is the frequency and reliability.

Beta Ray Bill

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121159735#Comment_121159735

50 mins if you take the R139/Stockhole Lane.... where you might die.

55 mins by Santry where it's a bit safer.

30 mins by car (But only because I can leverage the north bound M1, distance is actually longer again at 18.5km, but higher speeds reduce the journey time), plus I've to got to bring some tools with me.

Heading to Applewood at the back swords.

Everyone has a reason why they're not using a Public transport, most of the time it's "It's not good enough", the fact I use the DART everyday rather than my motorcycle to get to work is testament to that. IE If it's good, people will use.

blanch152

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121159494#Comment_121159494

Just checked, according to Google Maps, it's about 1hr 4 minutes using two buses from Raheny to Swords at the moment.

And only 40 minutes by bike.

Beta Ray Bill

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121159912#Comment_121159912

As mentioned I'm going to the back of Swords. It's a 30 min from the centre of the Town. Where the 1 hour 4 min bus drops you

hans aus dtschl

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121159912#Comment_121159912

Yep you probably won't beat personal car for speed and convenience, I'm just saying that it definitely looks like a doable journey by bike. E-bike particularly. It doesn't look like an hour or 75mins by bike, from my very-far-away view of it.

blanch152

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121159936#Comment_121159936

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121159932#Comment_121159932

You can't get further to the back end of Swords than Applewood and it is currently 1 hr 7 minutes by public transport, 50 minutes by bicycle and 25 minutes by car from Raheny.

hans aus dtschl

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121159953#Comment_121159953

Yep I happen to know Applewood quite well (of all places)! I think even that 50mins by bike is possibly google metrics though, is it? Typically I'd find that to be a pessimistic estimate, (though perhaps I just go faster than the average commuter). You seem to be seeing something similar to me though, which is around 15km which would generally be well doable in 40 mins. The tools is the thing that makes it more of a challenge and slower. Or possibly just too much of a challenge altogether for most people because of the need for a cargo bike.

Sam Russell

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121159847#Comment_121159847

Well, the reliability improves the more people mode shift from car to bus. The frequency also improves. However, it is very complex, and would require more incentive than just price.

Work is being done with Bus Connects - if only it could be rolled out quicker and with more positive results.

Hotblack Desiato

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121159797#Comment_121159797

We can do without homeless shelters on wheels.

[Deleted User]

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121159797#Comment_121159797

International experience suggests that this doesn't get people out of their cars onto public transport.

[Deleted User]

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121159494#Comment_121159494

The reasons why cars often beat public transport is because we've prioritised all aspects of private car travel. This needs to change.

Podge_irl

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121160225#Comment_121160225

Public transport within the 2€ leap zone is cheap. Capacity is an issue and overwhelmingly what we need to fix that is to give dedicated lanes to buses and enforce them.

Making it free genuinely will not help - it just subsidises people who don't need it for the most part.

namloc1980

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121146464#Comment_121146464

The removal/automation of 7 level crossings on the Cork line is the easiest of easy win projects and it's currently 29 months and counting sitting around somewhere in ABP. Let's face it, we're absolutely appalling at implemention in this country.

Slightly Kwackers

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/2058314814/lets-be-honest-public-transport-in-ireland-is-an-abominaiton-because-it-is-meant-to-be

Dublin??

I would love to get rid of the car, but public transport is worse than it was here fifty years back.

Fifty years ago we had a bus on Fridays going to and coming from tralee, stopping at the junction of two villages.

Now I would have to walk three miles to catch the Friday bus.

This "green" bit seems fine until you try to figure out where the individual gains or is even partially compensated.

Public transport is a "no brainer" as a trip in the car following the old Friday bus route rarely happens without picking up a queue of traffic at some stage.

Sadly this message does not seem to get through to those trying to save the planet.

This house is insulated using UK subsidised insulation. I brought a van load of retail outlet supplied fibreglass across a few years back at less than 5% of the price charged retail here. Likewise for home lighting CFL's were given away free or available for pence through supermarkets whereas I don't think that they were even priced lower than incandescents here.

So I grin and bear the carbon tax, but wonder what is actually green about it? I'm all for saving the planet, but if it's just an excuse for raising taxes with no significant effect on the environment, what's the point? The tax will fill the coffers and if not going to "green" projects like public transport, will simply enable someone on a higher income to fill his gas guzzler more often due to his low tax bill.

hans aus dtschl

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121160679#Comment_121160679

I don't mean to be negative or criticise, but this just reads like a broad rant with little connection to the topic at hand.

Slightly Kwackers

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121161115#Comment_121161115

Thanks, I suppose I did go off track, but basically my major moan is that public transport is a much needed commodity as climate change worsens.

If cities are bad transport wise, then rural Ireland is not even at the starting gate.

Dublin was excellent in comparison to the rest of Ireland as far as my attempts to travel go.

It's difficult to describe the situation without seeming negative and it would be nice to see some of those enthusiastic saviours of the planet do something that would maybe get a few cars off the road.

Forgive me, but even with the problems that you see if you have an Eastern residents view of public transport, they just don't compare to an infrastructure that is actually getting worse here in the SW.

thejuggler

If public transport were free the homeless, beggars etc would take up residence leading to rest of society avoiding it.

Economics101

Lots of loose talk about "free" public transport. It won't be free as you will pay for it as taxpayers, and likely pay a lot more as capacity is expanded to cope with the increased demand.

Also is this advocated for Dublin local public transport only? If so, whare do you draw the limit? The farther out you draw it the bigger the cliff-edge : I can see huge complaints from Kilcock if the "free" zone ends at Maynooth. Maybe some people are foolish enough to advocate free nationwide public transport - so no-one loses out (!!!).

One of the headacches for any public transport operator is the uneven level of demand - at peak versus non-peak hours. A zero price for peak-hour travel would be total madness. (I remember that the "free" travel for pensioners did not apply during peak hours, until a populist minister relaxed the rules, and no-one said a word against him)

Slightly Kwackers

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121161572#Comment_121161572

Well my last trip from Houston to Tralee was in a nice, clean, new train and the journey would have been comfortable and pleasant if it were not for the mob of young drunks that forced me to leave for the next carriage. I could still hear the noise, so God help those that stayed put.

Now the state they were in must have cost a good part of 100 euro each at least.

Going back thirty years there was a beggar on the same journey, he was known to the staff and he was moved, I didn't have to.

I think things were better thirty years ago when the beggars were controlled when they became a nuisance.

So I'm afraid your concerns are not really those I can sympathise with. Homeless people have no homes, so what, they are individuals. We used to get them in the libraries in the UK all the time keeping warm. As for beggars, don't people beg for money after mass on Sunday, on Halloween, St Stephens day?

Drunks that have lost their self control are often not poor or homeless and none were begging.

When I consider the respect a simple request for a passenger to shift his feet from the seats got years back, I don't think your statement has any validity. Having a guard walk the train is a simple solution to anti social behaviour.

BlueSkyDreams

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121140686#Comment_121140686

What leap forward?

BlueSkyDreams

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121141807#Comment_121141807

Buses are for the poor. At least thats the perception.

Luas is far more sexy. And a metro? well that would be off the charts.

Not in our life time, though.

Its cars all the way for a while yet.

Strumms

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121147834#Comment_121147834

Yes,

but in Copenhagen there exists one of the best metros..modern, clean, efficient, integrated…

Lines : 4

Opened : 2002

Operations : 24 / 7 , 365 days a year

Stations : 20 plus others under construction..

I’ve made 3 visits to that city and it’s always been evident how much investment in that country they made for their city, citizens, etc…

What have we managed in a similar timeframe ? We have not even managed to put a shovel in the ground in this godforsaken kip.. An absolute dump… with inadequates lining their pockets in positions of responsibility….

my mother said about 7 years ago, in her early 70’s then… “ knowing this country, as I do, we’ll ( her and my Dad ) never see it in our lifetime….” I thought she was talking hokey and I scoffed at the notion, but as it stands, she’s possibly or probably very right….

which is sad…. Worked all her life, paid tax all their lives, both spent much of their time as public servants or semi state employees…

bus stop outside her door that would take her to a station in 4 minutes…

we can find multiple millions at the absolute drop of a hat for everyone else’s problems in the world but we can’t over years, get a single fûcking metro line built….. absolute nutsville backwards backarse kip of a place.

Beta Ray Bill

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121162006#Comment_121162006

Buses are D and F tier trash

Slowest form of transport by far.

Heavy rail such as the DART and Light Rail such as Luas an Dublin metro are S and A tier

Dublin is one of the richest cities in the world (per person) we should have S and A tier mass transit across the board and we don't.

And don't even get me started on "rural" Ireland.

Like if you Want to go from Belfast to Dublin, the Bus is faster than the train.... How the hell has that happened and why has no one done anything about it? I'd guess that this is one of the only places in the world where a 160km journey is faster by Bus than by rail.

OP is 100% right, it's absolute most minimal effort possible.

Beta Ray Bill

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121159953#Comment_121159953

So I'm not going exactly from the centre of the village, I'm going from my house which is about a 15 min walk from the village.

All this needs to be factored in with public transport. The walk to and wait at the Bus stop or train station is often one of the slowest bits.

Beta Ray Bill

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121160270#Comment_121160270

I get what you're saying but its not like that anywhere else though

Hamburg and London have a vast tube system and all the roads in and out of the city and the tube is way faster, like STUPIDLY faster.

We don't even need to touch the roads, just build tubes or elevated rail