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If the public transport was good enough, would you use it?

yer man!

Just wondering if Galway people would actually use a decent public transport system if it was actually available and would really encourage people to give up the car.

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WesternNight

snubbleste wrote: »

Are you hearing/visually impaired?..

Nope. But thanks for asking.

snubbleste

WesternNight wrote: »

Nope. But thanks for asking.

I care

I know people who would'nt even consider a bus even though they live on a bus route and it brings them close to work..They 'need' to navigate in their single-occupied car. I'll make a note to ask them the cost of a bus ticket next time to see if they know.

celty

Back in the 1980s a band from Cork called Microdisney had a song called 'Only Losers Take the Bus'.

Sums up the snobbery towards public transport in Ireland!

Caliden

If the park and ride operated all year round and had a bus going in to the college I would definitely consider it depending on the frequency of the buses.

Madame Razz

Judging by the traffic(or lack thereof) the past few days, they really should look at making all school children bus/cycle/walk to school. It would really alleviate congestion in the city.

As regards myself and PT, I'd have no issue using it, if it was a reliable service. Sadly the service on the two routes available to me is farcical so I have up trying a long time ago. Now I either walk or taxi/drive it. Unfortunately it isn't possible for me to cycle, for reasons I won't post on the Internet, but I say fair play to those who do.

philbo

I live less than 100 yards on the outskirts from the sign for Galway City. I'd have to walk a good half hour to get anywhere near a bus service, let alone have it be regular!

I tend to cycle most places, though I find the biggest issue is lack of safe places to leave a bike in town. While there's plenty of rails provided, the amount of times I've seen people deciding to jump up and down on a bike locked on the street "for the craic" while pissed is shocking.

You'd think with the amount of buildings laying empty around town someone would think of opening it up as a bike park. Would be as simple as a 1 euro a day, come and go often as you like payment, where you're sure of a dry, safe place to leave the bike, and I reckon the numbers of folks cycling would improve drastically.

doubleglaze

I'd only use it if I were travelling light, which I don't often do.

I wouldn't use it in the lashing rain either!

bubbaloo

I am a Dub, living in Galway. I didn't learn to drive until I was 27 because I never had to!
I live out towards Loughrea and work in the city. I often think I would use the train to/from Athenry or Craughwell if the timetable was better.
If someone misses the 6pm train to Athenry the next one is not until 10pm !!!
And don't start me on missing the Craughwell train at 5.25pm and getting the 6pm to Athenry - but my car is at the station in Craughwell!!
Whoever came up with this scenario in Irish Rail needs a lesson in logistics!
My husband often sees the Craughwell train, which only started last year, and says there is never anyone on it!

Iwannahurl

Public transport in this country is not great, but I use it anyway.

If it was better, I would use it more.

Mrs OBumble

celty wrote: »

Back in the 1980s a band from Cork called Microdisney had a song called 'Only Losers Take the Bus'.

Sums up the snobbery towards public transport in Ireland!

It's not only Ireland: apparently there's a quote from Margaret Thatcher along the lines of "if you're still taking the bus when you're 30, it's a clear sign that you haven't made it in life". And another similar from Lisa Simpson. (No, I don't have refs for either, and can't be bothered googling them).

But I have met a higher-than-average proportion of people here who think I'm strange (at best) or totally made (worst) because I don't own a car.

Personally, I think it's only sensible. I never have to worry about parking, and many trips are quick because of the bus lanes. When there's well paying work around, I rent a car every 2nd or 3rd weekend, when there's not, I don't. No insurance, depreciation, NCT or tax worries either.

Iwannahurl

Or shock at the price of petrol.

I couldn't believe the €1.55/litre I was expected to pay today. No option but to cough up in the circumstances, but it reminded me that unnecessary use of the car is a fool's game these days.

what_traffic

I cant vote in this poll, but would stay cycling regardless of the public transport provision in the city. Cycling would still be faster, cheaper and will always be far more reliable to judge time it will take to arrive @ destinations.

Iwannahurl

That's a good point about cycling being very reliable in terms of commuting time.

I wonder whether this advantage would make a good selling point for the purposes of marketing cycle commuting in Galway?

snubbleste

Iwannahurl wrote: »

That's a good point about cycling being very reliable in terms of commuting time.
I wonder whether this advantage would make a good selling point for the purposes of marketing cycle commuting in Galway?

There are visible council signs up already at junctions throughout Galway for a few years now. 'It takes 15 minutes to get to Liosbán from here by bicycle' also the cycling group(s) have erected signs targeted at those more endowed to 'Burn fat not oil'

celty

In the last six weeks of cycling to work, I've got wet twice ... the second time was on the way home yesterday when they got the forecast well wrong!

My point is that it really doesn't seem to rain as much in Galway as we all believe, or else we've just been lucky to avoid constant drizzle for the last few months.

As raingear, I carry a mini-rucksack with a reflector thingy for the winter nights and waterproof pull-up pants, which I only use on the very wet days.

It's a lot better than sitting in traffic, burning expensive petrol, or waiting for a bus that may or may not arrive on time.

what_traffic

snubbleste wrote: »

There are visible council signs up already at junctions throughout Galway for a few years now.

They are NOT "council signs" - those signs have been put in place by the Galway Cycling Campaign with permission from the city council. The traffic signs are public property. The funding for the signs themselves came from Western Health Board/HSE.

snubbleste

what_traffic wrote: »

They are NOT "council signs" - those signs have been put in place by the Galway Cycling Campaign with permission from the city council. The traffic signs are public property. The funding for the signs themselves came from Western Health Board/HSE.

I stand corrected. They are erected because the Council not only endorse the signs being placed at junctions but also what message the signs portray.

what_traffic

celty wrote: »

In the last six weeks of cycling to work, I've got wet twice ... the second time was on the way home yesterday when they got the forecast well wrong!

Excellent point and not everybody who cycled to work yesterday would even have got caught in that shower. I managed to avoid it as I was working late. A useful tool to try and predict rainfall for your commute is www.met.ie -> rainfall radar (however its not easy to predict thundershower rainfall - compared to the usual rainfall we get from the south-west that we normally get in Galway). I work flexi time and can leave early or else stay an extra hour or two to avoid the heavy showers. I know that wont suit most - but it does make the cycling commuting a lot easier.

buzz55

If they put more cycle lanes in around the city, I would be a lot more likely to cycle. I've seen quite a few bicycle accidents around the city over the last few years and it puts me off getting out the bike.
Then again, maybe I'm just chicken

Mrs OBumble

celty wrote: »

or else we've just been lucky to avoid constant drizzle for the last few months.

It's only my 4th spring/summer here, but compared to the last three this one does seem extremely dry.

I wonder if we'll have water shortages in the height of summer.

celty

buzz55 wrote: »

If they put more cycle lanes in around the city, I would be a lot more likely to cycle. I've seen quite a few bicycle accidents around the city over the last few years and it puts me off getting out the bike.
Then again, maybe I'm just chicken

Good point, buzz, and I can't say I disagree with you completely. Cyclists daily have to watch out for the sheer ignorance of car drivers, who just don't seem to recognise that they have a right to be on the roads.

I've had quite a few 'near misses' over the past four to five years since I got the bike back on the road, including people who don't realise their indicators are on and drive straight through junctions or people who 'door' cyclists from parked cars.

But I think there is strength in numbers, the more cyclists on the road the more awareness there is, and it's just a matter of being careful. Plus, if you commute at 'rush hour' (what a joke of an expression) you actually end up passing out the cars!

I'd love to have a cycle lane to work and I do try to avoid the main roads as much as I can, I've got to know a route which involves a few little detours through church grounds, etc. which make my journey home less stressful each day.

Iwannahurl

Quality cycle infrastructure is needed to encourage the chickens, I mean the less confident cyclists to commute by bike.

However, I avoid any route that includes those stupid cyclepaths like the ones along the Quincentenary Bridge. I hate them with a passion.

I suspect that if conditions for buses were optimal then conditions for cyclists would also improve without the need for massive infrastructure. Still, good cycleways attract cyclists -- if you build it they will come, providing your intentions are honourable.

xo.mary

HardyEustace wrote: »

I think the success of the number 9 bus route is proof of that.

No. 9's service has gotten sooo bad over the last 2 years that I've been using it. Every 15 minutes, yeah right! I've waited up to an hour for a bus into town from Bodkins several evenings. Sometimes buses don't leave town for up to an hour (at rush hour). It seems like the double deckers aren't being used as much anymore especially at rush hour.

I usually just walk up to GMIT because it's quicker to get a bus there.

Iwannahurl

xo.mary wrote: »

No. 9's service has gotten sooo bad over the last 2 years that I've been using it. Every 15 minutes, yeah right! I've waited up to an hour for a bus into town from Bodkins several evenings. Sometimes buses don't leave town for up to an hour (at rush hour). It seems like the double deckers aren't being used as much anymore especially at rush hour.

I usually just walk up to GMIT because it's quicker to get a bus there.

Are you referring to the 9A that goes from Eyre Square to Parkmore? I thought it had supposedly improved since I last used it.

I posted this comment on the 9A in another thread December 2010:

Arrived at the bus stop at 16:55 to get the 9A at 17:00. Just two of us at the stop.

This particular service is advertised as running every 15 minutes.

No bus at 17:00.

No bus at 17:15, 17:30 or 17:45.

Finally bus arrives just before 18:00. At this stage there are about fifteen people waiting.

I ask the driver whether his particular bus is the five o'clock, the five-fifteen, the five-thirty, the five-forty-five or the six o'clock.

He checks the clock on his dashboard and says "I suppose it's the six o'clock".

Not one other person in the queue makes any remark. They just queue up, pay up and sit down in acquiescent silence.

xo.mary

Iwannahurl wrote: »

Are you referring to the 9A that goes from Eyre Square to Parkmore? I thought it had supposedly improved since I last used it.

I posted this comment on the 9A in another thread December 2010:

Arrived at the bus stop at 16:55 to get the 9A at 17:00. Just two of us at the stop.

This particular service is advertised as running every 15 minutes.

No bus at 17:00.

No bus at 17:15, 17:30 or 17:45.

Finally bus arrives just before 18:00. At this stage there are about fifteen people waiting.

I ask the driver whether his particular bus is the five o'clock, the five-fifteen, the five-thirty, the five-forty-five or the six o'clock.

He checks the clock on his dashboard and says "I suppose it's the six o'clock".

Not one other person in the queue makes any remark. They just queue up, pay up and sit down in acquiescent silence.

9A is to the Galway Clinic is it not? 9 is Eyre Sq - Parkmore.

The other day, I was waiting at the Bodkins stop going into town. I had just missed the 4.45 bus, I saw it as I was turning the corner. The next bus didn't come until 5.30. I saw FOUR buses go by in the 45 minutes towards Parkmore.

Mrs OBumble

xo.mary wrote: »

9A is to the Galway Clinic is it not? 9 is Eyre Sq - Parkmore.

The other day, I was waiting at the Bodkins stop going into town. I had just missed the 4.45 bus, I saw it as I was turning the corner. The next bus didn't come until 5.30. I saw FOUR buses go by in the 45 minutes towards Parkmore.

Correct:
9 is the route from Eyre Square to Parkmore, runs every 15 minutes.
9a is the route from Eyre Square to the Galway Clinic, runs every blue moon couple of hours

They cover the same ground for 90-something % of the route though.

And I agree, the service from about 4:30 - 6pm leaves a lot to be desired. Despite not being "through" routed, these buses can get caught up in traffic and horribly delayed. It seems that BE don't adjust the number of vehicles they have in service to take account of the fact that at peak time the there-and-back journey takes a lot more than an hour. But imagine what the other routes must be like, if this is what happens on the route with 15 minute frequency!

Madame Razz

celty wrote: »

Good point, buzz, and I can't say I disagree with you completely. Cyclists daily have to watch out for the sheer ignorance of car drivers, who just don't seem to recognise that they have a right to be on the roads.

I've had quite a few 'near misses' over the past four to five years since I got the bike back on the road, including people who don't realise their indicators are on and drive straight through junctions or people who 'door' cyclists from parked cars.

But I think there is strength in numbers, the more cyclists on the road the more awareness there is, and it's just a matter of being careful. Plus, if you commute at 'rush hour' (what a joke of an expression) you actually end up passing out the cars!

I'd love to have a cycle lane to work and I do try to avoid the main roads as much as I can, I've got to know a route which involves a few little detours through church grounds, etc. which make my journey home less stressful each day.

With regard to cycling, I will accept that a lot of drivers in Galway behave abhorrently towards cyclists(a lot of them behave abhorrently to other motorists too fwiw:rolleyes:), however, I really wish that a lot of cyclists would be more aware of where they position themselves in traffic when there is no designated cycling lane. If you cycle in the driver's blindspot, then the driver does not see you. They cannot see you. This happened me twice today, and reminded me how dangerous it was for both cyclist and motorist. It really is something to keep in mind when on a bike in traffic:)

celty

Madame,

Cyclists have to weave in and out of traffic because motorsts simply leave them with no choice on Galway's narrow streets. I can't believe how many pull up at lights right up against the left hand kerb, leaving cyclists no option but to go out into the middle of the road.

The bottom line is that motorists are far more dangerous than cyclists, simply because their vehicles cause far more damage. I have two fractures in my spine to prove this.

As someone who owns both a car and a bicycle, I reckon motorists are far more ignorant / blind than cyclists after all my years on the streets of Galway. That's not to justify the kind of cyclists who drive me nuts when they cycle the wrong way down a one-way street, for example.

Madame Razz

celty wrote: »

Madame,

Cyclists have to weave in and out of traffic because motorsts simply leave them with no choice on Galway's narrow streets. I can't believe how many pull up at lights right up against the left hand kerb, leaving cyclists no option but to go out into the middle of the road.

The bottom line is that motorists are far more dangerous than cyclists, simply because their vehicles cause far more damage. I have two fractures in my spine to prove this.

As someone who owns both a car and a bicycle, I reckon motorists are far more ignorant / blind than cyclists after all my years on the streets of Galway. That's not to justify the kind of cyclists who drive me nuts when they cycle the wrong way down a one-way street, for example.

Please do not tar all motorists with the one brush. It's insulting, and a massive(and unfair) generalisation.

Iwannahurl

JustMary wrote: »

Correct:
9 is the route from Eyre Square to Parkmore, runs every 15 minutes.
9a is the route from Eyre Square to the Galway Clinic, runs every blue moon couple of hours

They cover the same ground for 90-something % of the route though.

And I agree, the service from about 4:30 - 6pm leaves a lot to be desired. Despite not being "through" routed, these buses can get caught up in traffic and horribly delayed. It seems that BE don't adjust the number of vehicles they have in service to take account of the fact that at peak time the there-and-back journey takes a lot more than an hour. But imagine what the other routes must be like, if this is what happens on the route with 15 minute frequency!

Public transport must be prioritised. Why would anyone other than the most civic-minded citizen forsake the comfort of their car to get on a bus that provides no advantage whatosever in terms of travel time or convenience? Every possible physical and fiscal measure should be put in place to ensure that buses are reliable, punctual, frequent and convenient.

At the moment buses are stuck with the same conditions as cars on most of their routes. Indeed, as two public transport studies have shown, buses lose out to cars in various ways, not least because of problems such as rampant illegal parking.

It seems that part of the solution is a much greater level of centralised control over traffic. One such control measure is the signalisation of key junctions on strategic routes, since roundabouts are anything but controlled. There's another thread in this forum in which around 60% of posters are advocating that roundabouts should be retained and not replaced by traffic signals. IMO that's an example of where the unsustainable use of the private car is regarded as a greater priority than the promotion of public transport. If this resistance cannot be overcome by rational argument and PR then it must be tackled with economic measures like cordon charges. That kind of fiscal leverage may well become a necessity, and there are signs that it is already on the agenda for Galway. Bring it on, I say.