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Trams in Galway?

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    #62
    cgcsb
    Registered Users Posts: 9,277 ✭✭✭cgcsb


    At least he's trying to do something for Galway, more of the same please. In this country though I'd say BRT is the best we'll get and that's not half bad if it's done properly. Won't hold my breath though.


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    #63
    makeorbrake
    Registered Users Posts: 4,664 ✭✭✭makeorbrake


    cgcsb wrote: »
    'd say BRT is the best we'll get and that's not half bad if it's done properly.

    Can be used as a pre-cursor to trams - using the same routes but at a fraction of the cost.

    Not comparable cities in any way but experienced BRT in Bogota a few years back. So long as the services are timely and crucially the routes are well planned and interchange at the right places, then the user is not really going to give a hoot if it's running on wheels or rails.

    Would all go down to the planning though - and where possible, priority given to BRT buses where-ever possible - including ability to gear traffic light system to prioritise.

    Would make sense to be getting on with a project like that rather than proposal and counter proposal of schemes we simply can't afford. If we're ever flush again, a BRT route could be upgraded to tram (if deemed appropriate) - and designed so that it's interchangeable with other existing BRT 'routes'.


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    #64
    Robbo
    Moderators, Social & Fun Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 10,559 Mod ✭✭✭✭Robbo


    Another few volts have been thrown into this corpse in the City Trib this week by breakdown insurance pitchman Conor Faughnan and An Taisce's Derek Hambleton. Yes, An Taisce are advocating infrastructure. This is possibly a situationist prank.

    It's now pitched as a two line system with the tantalising prospect of it being unconnected at the final interchange.

    The lines pitched are as follows:
    • East(er Bunny) Line: Airport - Parkmore East - Parkmore West - Ballybrit Business Park - Ballybane - Renmore - Lough Atalia - Ceannt Station
    • Spaghetti Western Line: Barna - Cappagh - Western Distibutor Road - Dunnes/Lidl/Aviva - Seamus Quirke Road - UCHG - Eyre Square

    Apparently the advantages this has over say a bypass are that it doesn't require "lay(ing) concrete across green areas while also destroying 41 family homes in the process". I'm no engineer but if you can find a way of threading those routes through those areas without the use of a CPO or concrete, I'd love to hear your monorail song.

    Our old friends in Trampower are quoted and reckon it should be done by 2020 for the City of Culture with "a minimum of disruption". As previously noted, they don't exactly have pedigree or experience in delivering these type of things outside of a press release.


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    #65
    rabjoshu
    Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 182 ✭✭rabjoshu


    Robbo wrote: »
    Apparently the advantages this has over say a bypass are that it doesn't require "lay(ing) concrete across green areas while also destroying 41 family homes in the process". I'm no engineer but if you can find a way of threading those routes through those areas without the use of a CPO or concrete, I'd love to hear your monorail song.
    Just remove one motorist lane and convert to tram tracks. Problem solved. next!


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    #66
    [Deleted User]
    Posts: 0 ✭ [Deleted User]


    rabjoshu wrote: »
    Just remove one motorist lane and convert to tram tracks. Problem solved. next!

    No, just no.

    Built the bypass and stop wasting time even thinking of a rail line the will benefit so few compared to a proper ring road.


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    #67
    Mrs OBumble
    Registered Users Posts: 25,717 ✭✭✭✭Mrs OBumble


    rabjoshu wrote: »
    Just remove one motorist lane and convert to tram tracks. Problem solved. next!

    Wow ... an even brighter suggestion.

    That way we could have disconnected tram lines, just like Dublin, and heaps more one-way streets (cos taking one motorist lane out of many streets would only leave one)..


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    #68
    dinneenp
    Registered Users Posts: 8,111 ✭✭✭dinneenp


    Why not just have more bus lanes, more buses and routes?
    1.cheaper. Much, much cheaper.
    2. Quicker to build
    3.'out of hours' could be used by cars.


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    #69
    Guffy
    Registered Users Posts: 8,039 ✭✭✭Guffy


    Mrs OBumble wrote: »
    Wow ... an even brighter suggestion.

    That way we could have disconnected tram lines, just like Dublin, and heaps more one-way streets (cos taking one motorist lane out of many streets would only leave one)..

    Tbf, ya their not connected but one ends a 2 min walk away from where the other starts. Ceannt station is on eyre square like.


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    #70
    makeorbrake
    Registered Users Posts: 4,664 ✭✭✭makeorbrake


    dinneenp wrote: »
    Why not just have more bus lanes, more buses and routes?
    1.cheaper. Much, much cheaper.
    2. Quicker to build
    3.'out of hours' could be used by cars.

    BRT system is the way to go. Both pubic transport and ring road need to be funded. We don't have the funding to do a full on tram system. Therefore, we can either talk about it for 40 years (how long is the ring road being talked about at this point?) or we can cut our cloth to measure and go with BRT.

    Furthermore, BRT has the flexibility to bridge over those gaps where we can't completely close off a lane of a section of street to 2-way traffic. Furthermore, it could act as a precursor to a full-on system (i.e. if the next generation conjure up Celtic Tiger 2, they can have at it with a replacement system).

    Otherwise, BRT can be designed such that we get all the advantages of a fixed system - without having to lay down expensive tracks and pay for expensive trams, etc.


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    #71
    biko
    Registered Users Posts: 81,223 ✭✭✭✭biko


    When the prospect of trams will materialise, then discussion in Galway city forum can be had.
    Right now it's just speculation and discussion.


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    #72
    Middle Man
    Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 1,142 ✭✭✭Middle Man


    To me, a Luas type tram would in conjunction with mainline commuter services from Tuam etc. would make sense given the narrow lateral spread of the city. With the proposed Galway Ring Road in place, it might be possible to run a line from West of Knocknacarra, through Rahoon, Shantalla, past NUIG and GUC Hospital, Eyre Square (interchange with mainline), Wellpark, Mervue, Ballybane, and Doughiska.

    Also, there's in my mind, no reason not to reopen the rail line to Tuam as well as building a number of new stations near Renmore, Roscam as well as Tuam and Tuam North P+R taking advantage of the new N17 Ballygaddy Interchange. Where there is a will, there is a way as the people who got Ireland West Airport built back in the 1980's recession proved - what I'm saying is, pull out all the stops, get the infrastructure built and you'll probably never regret it in the future!


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    #73
    GerardKeating
    Registered Users Posts: 7,542 ✭✭✭GerardKeating


    rabjoshu wrote: »
    Just remove one motorist lane and convert to tram tracks. Problem solved. next!

    But on the west-side of the City, the Seamus Quirke Road is possibly the only road with two lanes in each direction, so which roads are you planning to take motoring lanes from.

    And on the east side, perhaps Bothar na dtreabh, Sean Mulvoy Road etc.


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    #74
    what_traffic
    Registered Users Posts: 4,880 ✭✭✭what_traffic


    Came across this on Twitter.

    http://catherineconnolly.com/light-rail-is-the-solution-to-the-traffic-problem-in-galway/
    Galway West TD. PR on the 22-03-2017. Light-rail is the solution to the traffic problem in Galway


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    #75
    what_traffic
    Registered Users Posts: 4,880 ✭✭✭what_traffic


    what_traffic wrote: »
    Came across this on Twitter.

    http://catherineconnolly.com/light-rail-is-the-solution-to-the-traffic-problem-in-galway/
    Galway West TD. PR on the 22-03-2017. Light-rail is the solution to the traffic problem in Galway

    "
    In this context Deputy Connolly welcomes the recent statement by Conor Faughnan, Director of Consumer Affairs with the Automobile Association (AA), calling on all stakeholders to urgently re-examine the case for light-rail in Galway city.
    "

    Anybody have a link to this?
    Is this really true that even the AA know that Light Rail is the only viable solution?


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    #76
    marno21
    Moderators, Entertainment Moderators, Science, Health & Environment Moderators Posts: 14,351 Mod ✭✭✭✭marno21


    The AA realise that the traffic growth in Galway and other cities in Ireland is unsustainable and needs to stop. There is just nowhere for these cars to go.

    Light rail to take those who are forced to drive and don't particularly want to off the roads would make the drive more pleasurable and efficient for those who insist on driving.


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    #77
    GerardKeating
    Registered Users Posts: 7,542 ✭✭✭GerardKeating


    what_traffic wrote: »
    "
    In this context Deputy Connolly welcomes the recent statement by Conor Faughnan, Director of Consumer Affairs with the Automobile Association (AA), calling on all stakeholders to urgently re-examine the case for light-rail in Galway city.
    "

    Anybody have a link to this?
    Is this really true that even the AA know that Light Rail is the only viable solution?

    Personally I would like a light rail system for the City, but it will eat up a lot more houses that the outer by-pass.


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    #78
    what_traffic
    Registered Users Posts: 4,880 ✭✭✭what_traffic


    GerardKeating wrote: »
    Personally I would like a light rail system for the City, but it will eat up a lot more houses that the outer by-pass.
    How so?:confused:


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    #79
    Middle Man
    Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 1,142 ✭✭✭Middle Man


    GerardKeating wrote: »
    Personally I would like a light rail system for the City, but it will eat up a lot more houses that the outer by-pass.

    I guess that in time, we'll be knocking quite a few houses nationwide to render our urban areas fit for purpose in the 21st century. One idea is a create appropriate roads with one traffic lane and one tram lane each way with plenty of room in the reservation for island platforms - there will always be cars and while we shouldn't focus on car capacity, we should bear in mind that fit for purpose access with proper road standards would be appropriate - remember that even with no private cars in cities, buses, deliveries, taxis, adapted vehicles all need to be taken into account and 60kph (tram speed) on such roads should be considered reasonable.

    If you want to reduce the number of private cars, then implement measures conducive to that principle in the car parks - for example, reduce the number of available car spaces before 10am or use a pricing structure that's geared against commuter parking - simple.

    Cycling provision to Dutch standards would require a massive rework of our urban areas unless we want to go back to the dark ages. However, the most important provision in urban areas should be for trams and pedestrians - even express underground walkways with travelators beneath city centre streets should be considered - this would allow conditions more conducive to social interaction at street level while providing for efficient transit beneath.

    However if we don't want to be in the dark ages, then we do have to get over our love affair with property - most 20th century fabric has little architectural merit and is dispensable - sure many of our Georgian streets are more modern in terms of urban layout and can accommodate the tram. Much of our 20th century "urban design" is pants - many streets are far too narrow!


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