Portrane/Donabate Commute options

long term, a cycle bridge is planned to be built alongside the existing railway bridge across the estuary from Malahide to Donabate. that said I don't know how this would change your commute distance wise and the cycling options from Malahide into town today aren't great but it could open things up for you in time.

some background on it here and here

He added: “The next section intended to be built, across Broadmeadow Estuary, will provide a walking and cycling link where only rail exists at the moment. The other elements of the Sutton to Malahide stretch are currently the subject of design work which will go to consultation later in the year.”

As a regular cyclist on that route. It's not the main road that Turvey Ave and hearse road come out on that I have a problem with,it's those roads themselves. They're narrow with no space at the edges so you have no choice but to mix it with the local traffic. Some of the drivers are very hostile when they see you on a bike on those roads (like they think you shouldn't be there) and some doggedly refuse to slow down from 80-100kph no matter what is happening on the road ahead of them.

If coming from Donabate You can also cut though Newbridge (when it's open) And go up Cobbes lane, which cuts out a lot of a Hearse Road but you still have to deal with the straight part which is where those monkeys can really get nasty. You can cut off about half of that but taking the left turn towards the estuary and then back around by Jones a Garden Centre, which probably adds 0.2 km to your journey but gets you away from the Max Mad nonsense.

I'm always very happy to get out to the main Sword Road because although it's dual carraigeway at least there's hard shoulder there so you can keep some distance.

Used to live in the Priory on the Portraine road. Never cycled it when I was there but I know both ways in and out very well and would be hesitant to cycle either On an unrelated note if you do end up being in a car rather than bike I can only envisage gridlock (even with the bypass) in rush hour. At the moment it’s a nightmare due to the amount of houses being squeezed into that peninsula. Over the years it really has lost its seaside town feel.

Turvey Avenue is fine for cycling. I've been doing it for about 27 years and can only recall a couple of incidents on it (and a few black ice spills).

Hearse Road is much busier and not particularly pleasurable to cycle on.

The rest of the route to Dublin in mainly fine but there are a few places that require a bit of care:

1. The Malahide Road roundabout in Swords. It has 5 exits and 'straight on' is the 3rd exit. Beware of motorists on your right cutting across to take the 2nd exit to Feltrim. Also, for some reason, some motorists emerge from the Feltrim exit onto the roundabout when they don't have right of way.

2. After the Coachman's pub (near the airport roundabout), the left lane becomes the slip road to the M1 so you have to move across to the centre lane. Take care on dark wet mornings with continuous passing traffic. If you signal early and keep looking back, you'll usually get the 'flash' to move across.

3. Just after exiting the airport roundabout, watch for traffic on the slip road to your left as you move across to the bus lane. You can easily end up in that 'no man's land' between two lanes of traffic.

Otherwise it's a handy commute. Plenty doing it daily including a few Boardsies. The 'Skerries Express' group passes the old end of Turvey Avenue at around 7.20am. Hop on the back for a good workout!

Weepsie wrote: »

....Fewer direct bus services than before too...

I'm open to correction but there are a lot more bus services now to Swords where there are ample connections to Dublin. (The previous direct buses went via Swords anyway so not much difference in times).

I've not cycled Hearse Road, but use Turvey for my commute from Skerries to the airport. I've found that the time of day makes some difference. I work lates and up to recently I started at 6pm and the traffic was heavier, plus it was dark. Now I'm starting at 3pm and there's a lot less traffic and it's much nicer to see what's around you. In rush hour you'd be faster on a bike, you just need to be aware of what others are doing, especially at the roundabouts.
Also, the usual prevailing winds make for good training on one leg of the journey (but usually die down or do a 180 for the return...)

Wishbone Ash wrote: »

Turvey Avenue wouldn't be on your commute unless you are taking a diversion to Donabate and back again.

Sorry, I was talking about from Turvey on towards the M1. Should have made myself clearer

Weepsie, got the train for years, then got a bike. Been commuting on the bike from Donabate to Merrion Sq for 5 years.

Best thing I ever done. Use both Turvey and Hearse rd, but there’s a lot of trucks on the Herase rd. Turvey is better in the rush hour. Agree with Wishbona Ash’s comments. You can also turn at Fingallions roundabout towards Malahide and head for Sutton and the coast, makes a nice change.

Forgot my password, but fingerprint password management on my iPad saved me. Still don’t know my password though.

PukkaStukka wrote: »

.... with the volume of unfettered HGV movements....

Well in fairness, the drivers aren't driving trucks around Donabate just to burn diesel.

PukkaStukka wrote: »

Nope, they're leaving the place in mess. Have a look at some of the social media pages for the various groups here. Muck everywhere, potholes, subsidence, sunken margins etc. You get my drift

To me 'unfettered' means unrestricted, hence my comment.

If they're leaving a mess, it's up to the construction company to road sweep the area. Hardly the fault of the truck drivers.

PukkaStukka wrote: »

I live in Donabate and have commuted to the city centre on the bike in spring / summer time for the last few years. I roll out at 7am citybound to miss the worst of the traffic. It takes ~ 8 minutes to get from the village to the old N1 / R132 and after that, you've hard shoulder / bus / cycle lanr thereafter. Any later than that and the traffic is markedly heavier to an uncomfortable degree.

On the return journey, I use Turvey because it's straighter and less risky than the Hearse Rd at that time of day.

Be aware that Donabate is ear marked for big development in the next 10 years. Expect the condition of the roads to suffer with the volume of unfettered HGV movements....

For me, there's no much between Hearse Rd and Turvey safety wise. I find Turvey, because it's straight seems to make people put the boot down , as they do also on the straight part of Hearse Rd.

I use Hearse Rd for my return journey, though recently I've taken to waiting at the lights at the roundabout until all the donabate traffic goes on. With the change in the lights in my favour I can then usually get down the straight part of a Hearse Road before more traffic comes behind me. Sometimes I even pull in at the end there and let the traffic go by, not because I think it's my duty to do that, but because I can then get to Cobbes Lane / Newbridge without the stress of being close passed by an angry monkey.

Got a job in portrane would anyone know any nice places to live near portrane don't know area very well willing to commute 45-50 budget 320k