Publik Transport.

Nice idea, but CIE wouldn’t tolerate being told where to run their services. Witness the furore when Dublin City Council attempted to mussle in on the provision of bus shelters (and more importantly, the ad revenue that they generate).

I think there is some merit to the suggestion. Obviously if all developments were subject to this it would mean a glut of possible ‘stops’ en route. I think big development like ILAC or Stephen;s Green centre shoudl most definately have had to have taken public transport into consideration.

Adelaide in Australia has a large underground bus terminus under its main city shoppiing mall and I though it worked quite effectively (with platforms, and inforation screeens etc). It was very dirty and noisy though.

What I would like to see is buses not been parked on city streets… why Eden Quay needs to second as a CIE carpark I will never know.

I think what Alek is talking about is major public-use projects – shopping centres etc.

These need to be designed so that bus use to them is a convienient and attractive proposition – a la Blanchardstown Centre, where a mini bus station is directly outside the main entrance, so it is as convienient, or more convienient to get from bus to shops as from car to shops.

A bad example is Liffey Valley, where the buses are tucked away out of sight after a long windy walk through the car-park.

Worst example is Pavillion Swords – a bus stop for outward buses is provided as an afterthought, and the layout is such that there is nowhere for inward buses to stop – i.e. once you’ve been to the centre you have to either walk with your shopping all the way to the main street, or along the road and across the dual-carriageway in order to get the return bus!!!!

Permission for any shopping centre should only be granted now if there is enough space given over to public transport at a convienient and central part of the development.

The Square Tallaght is not bad in this respect, though the bus area is a bit windswept – it could do with being moved down to the area between the LUAS station and the centre, thus giving it a sheletered area, plus integrated, plus convienient . . .

Gabriel

Dublin Airport is another example of poor public transport facilities….especially as it is the first time most visitors to the city will use the bus system.

The DTO has recently set up a working group on transport interchanges and is issuing guidelines for designers and offering funding for designs. One of the sites under consideration is the one next to the Luas in Tallaght mentioned above where theres some space for a LUAS/Bus interchange.

Its a shame that so many developments do not take public transport into account at the early stages of design ( perhaps schools of Architecture should take some responsibility and include basic transport planning modules? ). Theres been a move in the UK for the last few years to incorporate better interchange facilities in major developments and in the Far East and the States this has been happening for some time. Check out the site below:

http://www.interchangeplus.com/

JJ