Re: Re: Cork Transport

@pleanala wrote:

I think the idea of the Bus Tram is not necccessarily that they would replicate trams in terms of overhead lines but rather that they would differ from standard buses as they would run on independent tracks away from Road Transport an also that they might be electric and thus have less of an environmental impact compared to a Diesel bus??

I doubt it very much. Our city and suburbs are old, the streets are narrow and development has taken place in a piecemeal fashion over the centuries. There is very little spare land available that could be used as a dedicated bus/tram track. I think the only realistic option for most routes is to use on street busses or trams, with perhaps the chance to run small sections on dedicated off street tracks/pathways where the land allows.

Our city coucil haven’t done much to help this cause though. Take one of the worst blackspots for evening rush-hour traffic — The stretch of road between Dennehys cross and the junction at the AIB on western rd. Some of the busiest busses in the city regularly get stuck in traffic here, along with thousands of stressed drivers. In the docklands plan available on the council’s website since years ago, there is a proposed light rail or guided bus coridoor from Mahon – Atlantic Pond – City Centre – Western Rd – Vic X – CIT. The logical thing would be to set aside land along this coridoor as it becomes available in case it is needed when such a bus/tram track is to be built.

But no, along this single stretch of road almost all the land on the south side and some on the north has been redeveloped in the few years since this docklands plan was published. Victoria Mills for example is built right out to the edge of the site, almost touching the wall of the bridge. The new hideous brown-brick apartments next to it are similarly built right out to the already too narrow public footpath. Even if the funds were made available to provide a light rail or segregated bus track in this area, there is now no room left for this. Even the existing 4 lane road is too narrow, the pedestrian and cyclist provisions are woeful, and there is no room for a bus lane, bus stop or tram stop.

I really wish that someone in the council could have seen the potential before all this land was developed, to reservce a strip of roadside land from the clinic to Dennehys cross and prevent any development on it. Then we could have busses that cruise from Gaol Cross to Dennehys cross in a dedicated lane, rather than getting stuck in traffic for 20 mins.

Too much ranting lately. Must go do something more productive!