college green/ o’connell street plaza and pedestrians

It is imperative that college green is pedestrianised. People have to make choices every day whether to use the car to make a particular journey. I think that if traffic was restricted into the heart of the city, people will be resourceful and use other forms of transport or not make any unnecessary journeys. I recently cycled through D’olier st and College Green ( I am a car owner) and it proved to be a very scary experience being sandwiched between speeding cars and stretched buses. I also had the same scary experience crossing college green as a pedestrian. The centre of the Dublin should be designed to allow generous unimpeded pedestrian access from Stephens Green all the way to Parnell St. This can only be accomplished through a massive reduction in motor traffic going though college green and a large reduction in lane provision on D’olier/ Westmoreland St. It is a simple and straightforward idea and it requires bravery and innovative thinking by the city authorities. How they go about this ..that is another question but they cannot be heavily influenced by lobby groups with short term aspirations…..

Originally posted by Devin

Well it’s a pity poor burgeye can’t drive from Pearse Street straight into College Green anymore!

It goes without saying that when you close one route it increases congestion somewhere else. The idea of the above banning is that the overall volume of traffic going from Pearse Street to Dame Street is reduced, cos its more hassle to do it than it used to be.

It’s not really a pity because I chose architecture as a career and as a result I’m never away til after 7, so I just drive up it anyway.

Much as I’d like to think it was an idealistic move, I think, however, the real reason for that change in traffic flow was to make it easier for the fire engines to get up Dame street. And to help the Garda get home quicker.

Originally posted by kefu
From a personal point of view, it would make my particular drive in the morning from Stoneybatter to Ballsbridge, which I used to go via Stephen’s Green for, an even bigger nightmare.

Have you tried Luas smithfield-connolly then DART connolly-ballsbridge?

Originally posted by kefu
Not when you have to go out during the day on jobs, usually down the country. Only takes twenty minutes because I work slightly off-peak hours.

ah fair enough,I’d say you’re praying a congestion charge isn’t introduced any time soon though!

I would certainly feel like a visitor to my own home (and a poverty-stricken one at that) if I had to pay €4 or €5 to get back there every time I drove across the North Circular Road.

Originally posted by PVC King
They would have to do something for people like Kefu who live in the town or there would be uproar. The result I think is that many people who need motorised transport would buy houses inside the line to get around any charge that came in. Where years ago people got insurnace back home now, country people would use a buddy’s address to get a free congestion pass if a charge was put in.

Similarly, when I worked in singapore they had a rule that only cars with red number plates could enter the city on mon, wed and fri. White number plates enter tues thurs and sat, with either being allowed in on Sunday. It was an easy way for the traffic wardens to police it without the need for charges. Unfortunately the people just bought another car leading to more congestion. It’s a vicious circle.

Lads do you not think that it is a little premature to be discussing road pricing before the need arises. Have you never considered that this change might actually work in the absence of a charge.
The stick works the only problem is that the carrot is called CIE

Starbucks are finally to arrive in Dublin City Centre according to todays Irish Times they have according to Jack Fagan agreed a deal for the ground floor of number 1 College Green. I noted with interest that the adjoining occupiers are Little Ceasars and Centra and that TCD now appear to have swallowed up most of the College Green / Foster Place / Anglesea St block. Good article a few other interesting stories in it.

The argument that one must drive into work because one needs a car for site visits is weak. As things currently stand, maybe not, but it shows a slight lack of imagination. Could companies not keep a car or two (or three…) expressly for this purpose, thus freeing us up to walk or cycle or Luas or bus for the home-to-work journey? Or what about renting a car when needed? Or public transport?
I don’t want to over-simplify the argument, but it is imperative that we attempt to apply some imagination to these problems, rather than just seeing the cards that we already hold in our hands.
I’m currently formulating a thesis topic on this very subject- I hope to post here soon re same, and all opinions would be welcome, especially those of motorists (I can’t drive, and I cycle everywhere, so I have an inherent bias that must be countered 🙂 ). I’ll be in touch.