Grand Canal Cycle Path - Be Careful

dhaughton99 · 14-10-2019 8:33pm

tnegun wrote: »

The email came via a local councillor I was reading between the lines but heres the extract

"I refer to representation received on 10/10/2019 in relation to Public Lighting at 12th Lock.
We have carried out an extensive survey of the recent vandalism to our public lighting network at this
location. A considerable amount of our resources will need to be expended in order to carry out the
necessary repairs, with no guarantee that the repairs will, in fact, not also be vandalised.
To that end, we are reviewing the situation internally with other departments to assess the best
approach to remedying the issue for the longer term."

Your tax dollars at work, ladies and gentlemen.

DaveyDave · 14-10-2019 9:45pm

I've cycled it a few times in the last few weeks but between 9-5 hours. 11th Lock/Grange Castle area was usually the one with the least amount of trouble and now it's probably the worst. It's in absolute rag order at the moment.

It's a shame because sometimes it's nice to not have to deal with traffic, the Nangor Road into Clondalkin at 4/5pm can be lethal with people pulling into the bus lane.

irlirishkev · 15-10-2019 12:32pm

Cycling in this morning, the 1st set of gates after hopping on at Black Horse, had the remnants of a bonfire, actually, under the gates. Looks like someone had tried to set the whole lot on fire.

Rotten sh!ts.

tnegun · 15-10-2019 2:01pm

They will attempt to burn anything, once they pulled the light fittings from the top of the pole and smashed them they then burned them to be sure the job was done!

LennoxR · 16-10-2019 3:28pm

I had to get out to Clondalkin on Monday and over to Ballsbridge after, so used the canal path out and back. Have to report there were no issues with it that day. Though I did seem the remains of a burnt out car and vandalism, graffiti etc. There were a fair few cyclist and pedestrians on it but the anti-social behaviour might be putting some people off, as I think I've seen more in the past.

Not to downplay the issues people have been highlighting here, but I think the serious problems are probably confined to the summer months. The rain and cold seems to be keeping the anti-social element off it these days. Maybe the Garda patrols are having an effect too. But certainly the only people I saw on it were dog walkers and cyclists.

I still would think it's much safer than using the Nangor Road to be honest. Just my two cents.

dhaughton99 · 23-10-2019 1:22pm

Just now passing the spot between fonthill and deansrath and it’s swarming with Garda. Plainclothes, uniforms, helicopter etc. looking for someone.

tnegun · 27-11-2019 10:15am

Some good news passed a truck on the towpath with new lampposts on the back of it and an electricians van on the canal too, yesterday there were a couple of guys inspecting the existing lights so hopefully the lighting will be fixed in the near future by the 11th lock.

dhaughton99 · 27-11-2019 11:52am

tnegun wrote: »

Some good news passed a truck on the towpath with new lampposts on the back of it and an electricians van on the canal too, yesterday there were a couple of guys inspecting the existing lights so hopefully the lighting will be fixed in the near future by the 11th lock.

I passed around an hour ago and digging up the ground beside one of the exits. They also tarmaced part of one of the leading paths which was missing. I pass every day at one and there’s a lot of drug dealing at the 12th. Never any problem with them. Just there to score.

sheriff2 · 27-11-2019 12:24pm

Sounds good, i came in that way this morning and plan on going home that way around 4. Finally collected my "bike to work" and the guy in the bike shop warned me not to go home that way!!

irlirishkev · 27-11-2019 1:20pm

sheriff2 wrote: »

Sounds good, i came in that way this morning and plan on going home that way around 4. Finally collected my "bike to work" and the guy in the bike shop warned me not to go home that way!!

I've been going home that way again since the weather got dark and crappy.. It's been quite peaceful, and a lot less stressful than the Naas Road!

sheriff2 · 27-11-2019 1:22pm

irlirishkev wrote: »

I've been going home that way again since the weather got dark and crappy.. It's been quite peaceful, and a lot less stressful than the Naas Road!

Other option was to come off at the 9th lock up by Ronanstown Garda station, but that road looks quite narrow.

tnegun · 27-11-2019 2:19pm

irlirishkev wrote: »

I've been going home that way again since the weather got dark and crappy.. It's been quite peaceful, and a lot less stressful than the Naas Road!

Same just don't leave it too late though I got caught in the office last Friday and passed just before 7pm, fires had been lit and and lot people were hanging around. Now nothing happened but it was enough to make me uneasy. Normally I'm through there before 6 and its been fine lately.

dhaughton99 · 27-11-2019 2:27pm

I’ve just passed through again and the lads who were working seemed to have packed up and left. Couple of lads over there waiting to score and a lad on a scrambler but has it parked up. They seemed pleasant. Said hello.

tnegun · 28-11-2019 1:58pm

Stopped to chat with the guys working there this morning and they're waiting for an order of replacement polls to be delivered, there is a huge amount of work as all the cabling has to be replaced and the ducts are blocked with debris. They're installing polls they had in the yard and hope to have some lights back by Christmas. They also mentioned that they're on site from 6.30am so they can finish before the worst comes out on the canal.

dhaughton99 · 28-11-2019 2:43pm

When I passed around 1 today, one of the dealers was sitting in a leather seat taken from a car and had a little fire going to keep himself warm.

innsmouth · 28-11-2019 2:47pm

lol, teenagers would cycle into grand canal docks and just terrorize everyone

I've seen a couple of phones being stolen off tables in the smoking areas of bars there

irlirishkev · 28-11-2019 3:25pm

tnegun wrote: »

Stopped to chat with the guys working there this morning and they're waiting for an order of replacement polls to be delivered, there is a huge amount of work as all the cabling has to be replaced and the ducts are blocked with debris. They're installing polls they had in the yard and hope to have some lights back by Christmas. They also mentioned that they're on site from 6.30am so they can finish before the worst comes out on the canal.

Fair play. I cycled past while you (presumably you!) were chatting with them. Wondered if it was someone from Boards!

tnegun · 28-11-2019 10:45pm

If it was about 8:25 that was me alright

tnegun · 28-11-2019 10:47pm

dhaughton99 wrote: »

When I passed around 1 today, one of the dealers was sitting in a leather seat taken from a car and had a little fire going to keep himself warm.

Had to laugh during one of the wettest days he was sitting there with a parasol!! Unfupping touchable!

LeChienMefiant · 05-12-2019 12:22pm

https://echo.ie/lucan/article/gardai-up-security-on-the-canal-to-curb-drug-dealing

irlirishkev · 05-12-2019 1:32pm

LeChienMefiant wrote: »

https://echo.ie/lucan/article/gardai-up-security-on-the-canal-to-curb-drug-dealing

Excellent news.
Blatant dealing going on in places.

Lights are back on as well just after Grange Castle inbound.
I also met some plain clothes in an unmarked car driving up slowly with their headlights off the other day. Had a brief chat.

ORGANISED crime along the Grand Canal, primarily Clondalkin to Lucan, and Park West, is being targeted by a major multi-agency operation.

Gardai in Clondalkin and Lucan are both currently involved in the operation to tackle criminal activity along the length of the canal.

Key targets are drug-dealing, vandalism of public lighting to aid drug-dealing, and intimidation of innocent residents using the amenity.

Videos have done the rounds on social media of cyclists having fireworks fired at them along the canal, while a number of cyclists have had their bikes taken off them by gangs of thugs.

The Echo understands the operation started in the last couple of months, and has resulted in a number of arrests.

Gardai have stepped up patrols in the area, including a dog unit last weekend, and hope to have garda push-bikes on the canal by Christmas.

It is deemed by senior gardai to be a long-term operation, tasked with cleaning up the canal area from serious anti-social activity.

The Grand Canal Greenway is a joint project between Waterways Ireland, South Dublin County Council, ESB, Dublin City Council and the National Transport Authority.

According to the council, parts of the infrastructure, particularly lighting and CCTV, have been subject to “serious vandalism and are currently out of commission”.

“Arrangements are being made to bring this infrastructure back into operation – due to ongoing serious anti-social behaviour, these works are not without difficulty,” said the council.

At a Policing Meeting in Clondalkin on Tuesday night, the council said new “anti-vandal” camera parts have been sourced.

The Echo understands the parts won’t arrive from the UK until the end of the year, but will be installed in 2020.

Meanwhile, cabling for CCTV cameras along the canal is currently being installed underground, to prevent it from being vandalised.

Clondalkin Superintendent Seamus Dalton said it is an “ongoing” operation and involves “police on the ground”.

Supt Dalton told The Echo that some cameras had been vandalised deliberately and the recent installation of new cabling is an important aspect to the investigation.

Speaking at a Policing Meeting on Lucan/North Clondalkin over a month ago, Lucan Superintendent Paul Dolan said the difficulty was in resourcing, but it was “going well” and they “didn’t want to lose ground.”

A spokesperson for the council said: “The route links the city to the west of the county and with the installation of the ‘red bridge’ provides a cycling/pedestrian route to Lucan. The primary responsibility for the physical maintenance of the route in South Dublin County rests with the council.

“Despite increased specification there remains the potential that the new works may be the subject of further damage in the future.

Liaison continues with the gardai in this regard. In conjunction with the gardai, the council will make every effort to maintain the CCTV and lighting in operable condition to ensure that the Greenway remains a safe route to serve the public.”

dermabrasion · 06-12-2019 7:26am

It would be just if were possible to divert the cash that CAB hauls off local dealers to be invested into repair and upgrade to the smashed up infrastructure.

dhaughton99 · 06-12-2019 2:07pm

The dealers must have read the article.

You could be guaranteed 10-12 hanging around the old lock-keepers house on the right at 1 o’clock for the past 2 months. Hail, rain or shine. Same old faces, same bikes.

Not a sinner around today.

dhaughton99 · 06-12-2019 6:42pm

I noticed the council installing what looks like a pump/tool set on the ninth lock when I passed around 5 today. Looked something like this with SDCC stickers on it.

https://turvec.com/product/public-cycle-repair-station/

tnegun · 07-12-2019 9:24pm

Delighted to hear all this! Have been away with work for the last week or so but its back to the canal from Monday!

dhaughton99 · 08-12-2019 12:29pm

This is what they installed at the ninth.

obi604 · 08-12-2019 6:00pm

dhaughton99 wrote: »

This is what they installed at the ninth.

How long will this last with the scum? 2/3 days ?

raheny red · 10-12-2019 12:42am

@maltanar: I was almost killed by a gang of lads armed with metal rods on the Grand Canal cycle path, ambushed at a squeeze stile. They made off with my e-bike but not before beating me up. See dents on helmet below. @GrandCnlGrenway @IBIKEDublin @dublincycling @DubCityCouncil @IWAIreland https://twitter.com/maltanar/status/1204178242195935233/photo/1

Jesus!!!

alentejo · 10-12-2019 10:33am

Glad to hear you are ok! Sorry about your bike - Shocking this stuff happens in this city.

Until they remove those kissing gates and deal with anti social behaviour, I will not be using this cycle path.

It could be a fabulous facility!

SPDUB · 10-12-2019 11:22am

raheny red wrote: »

@maltanar: I was almost killed by a gang of lads armed with metal rods on the Grand Canal cycle path, ambushed at a squeeze stile. They made off with my e-bike but not before beating me up. See dents on helmet below. @GrandCnlGrenway @IBIKEDublin @dublincycling @DubCityCouncil @IWAIreland https://twitter.com/maltanar/status/1204178242195935233/photo/1

Jesus!!!

As someone who used to work regularly in the area I can say that although I heard they were put in place to prevent dirt bikes coming in. mentioned in the twitter feed as the reason for the kissing gates they didn't prevent that happening

tnegun · 10-12-2019 12:09pm

Guy in work met the same gang at Bluebell and was lucky to escape with his bike and a bloody noise

Mickiemcfist · 10-12-2019 12:21pm

You'd wonder how would the Gards take it if an adult was to give them a good kicking if they tried that.

LennoxR · 10-12-2019 3:57pm

Mickiemcfist wrote: »

You'd wonder how would the Gards take it if an adult was to give them a good kicking if they tried that.

Unfortunately they would be obliged to investigate the adult who did that. It's not easy at all being a Garda these days. But I think that in this case they have use the difficulty of dealing with underage criminals as an excuse to do nothing at the Grand Canal. And now the problem appears to have got out of control.

Coincidentally, I cycled the grand canal cycle path from end to end yesterday, with no issues. I did, though, see some youths on the far side of the canal hanging around on mountain bikes. They may or may not have been up to no good.

We all know at this stage that security is a serious issue on this path but I for one would still encourage people to use it as abandoning it to the anti-social elements will only make the problem worse.

Nika Bolokov · 10-12-2019 7:18pm

As I've said before some day they will attack some hard chaw who's mates are not far behind and they will get a severe hiding.

Planet X · 10-12-2019 8:20pm

It was all over the Joe Duffy radio show this afternoon. The Bluebell gang etc etc.
Harrowing stuff really.

thenightman · 10-12-2019 8:38pm

Cousin was a beat guard based in Dublin 8 up until the summer til he got a transfer home. Gang is from in and around the Bernard Curtis estate in Bluebell, mostly under 18's. Every guard knows the main ones by name and where they live etc, but when they scoop them up for phone or bike robbing or assault they are let back out on bail the same day in the childrens court. He reckoned it would be more practical use throwing them in the canal each time they caught them, rather than the pointlessness of wasting all day bringing them to station, court etc.

Seth Brundle · 11-12-2019 10:50am

https://twitter.com/dublincycling/status/1204497405661585408

sheriff2 · 11-12-2019 11:02am

FFS - was always told to try avoid the Clondalkin end... Now its Bluebell too!!

tnegun · 11-12-2019 11:28am

For what its worth the Clondalkin end has been fine since the ASB spiked just after Halloween, the lights have been repaired, new CCTV installed and additional Garda patrols after representations we're made by several community groups and local Councillors

Bob24 · 11-12-2019 12:26pm

“Anti-social behaviour used by gangs to control parts of south Dublin” - loosely related to this thread and confirms some areas are out of control.
Bluebell is one of the red zones on their map.

https://www.irishtimes.com/news/crime-and-law/anti-social-behaviour-used-by-gangs-to-control-parts-of-south-dublin-research-1.4111448

sheriff2 · 11-12-2019 1:15pm

Read the article about the guy being attacked yesterday, my sympathies to him and you should be free to go where you want regardless of time. But not a hope id be cycling up the canal on my own at 7.40pm.

the world wonders · 12-12-2019 7:42pm

Saw a cop car driving back down the lane at the lock house at about 5pm today, so there seems to be some extra attention going that way following recent events.

dhaughton99 · 12-12-2019 7:51pm

the world wonders wrote: »

Saw a cop car driving back down the lane at the lock house at about 5pm today, so there seems to be some extra attention going that way following recent events.

Still dealing going on at 1pm every day. Stopped fora day or 2 but same faces back again.

DaveyDave · 13-12-2019 11:13am

Some plain clothes on patrol would probably be ideal in that area? Or maybe some local attire.

daragh_ · 13-12-2019 11:21am

Perhaps one of the Cycling Lobby groups might organise a day/evening of action in Solidarity with the people who have been attacked? A few hundred cyclists riding up the Canal some evening might send a message?

AndrewJRenko · 13-12-2019 12:52pm

DaveyDave wrote: »

Some plain clothes on patrol would probably be ideal in that area? Or maybe some local attire.

They probably know all the local guards well already.

buffalo · 13-12-2019 1:31pm

the world wonders wrote: »

Saw a cop car driving back down the lane at the lock house at about 5pm today, so there seems to be some extra attention going that way following recent events.

A car to patrol a pedestrian/cyclist greenway? :rolleyes:

AndrewJRenko · 15-12-2019 3:18pm

https://twitter.com/gardainfo/status/1205924150587641864

dhaughton99 · 15-12-2019 4:29pm

AndrewJRenko wrote: »

https://twitter.com/gardainfo/status/1205924150587641864

I bumped into 2 beat members close to the gate on Sunday around 1 in the day.

Spanish Eyes · 15-12-2019 4:39pm

I know Gardai cannot be everywhere, but honestly they really are a "reactive" rather than a "proactive" force these days.

It wouldn't take a genius to figure out that constant patrolling for a week or two would calm things down a bit, but hey it's cold out there. Easier to watch CCTV and then react. Too late though.

I do hope it is sorted out soon, it could be a great amenity and commuting route for cyclists and walkers. So much money spent putting it in place, only for it to become a no go zone.

Hopefully things will improve.

Grand Canal Cycle Path - Be Careful

Comments