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The government announced their new 'Transport 21' plan. It sounds pretty impressive but I won't hold my breath - it is Fianna Fail after all.
What the country really needs is a motorway from Dublin to all the major cities. It took me 4 hours to drive from Dublin to Galway at the weekend. To do a journey of similar distance would take only 2 hours in most other European countries.
http://www.rte.ie/news/2005/1101/transport.html
It'll run over budget but sure the builders (AKA Fianna Fail) won't mind......
The only 'motorway' needed in Ireland is between Belfast and Dublin. The roads between the rest of the cities in the country should be dual carriageways (or glorified 2-lane 'motorways', but no bigger). Alongside those, there should be reliable, frequent, quality rail services between the cities - removing a lot of the need for greater road capacityQuote:
Originally Posted by finlma
Increasing road capacity has been shown the world over time and again to do nothing but create more traffic, with its associated problems. Ireland does need it's road infrastructure renewed/updated - but a country our size should be basing its transport planning on the likes of the Dutch (i.e. rail-lead), and not on the disastrous example set by the likes of the English (car-lead).
I think the Motorway will eventually run to that brilliant roundabout in Cashel with the sign that says Waterford, Limerick, Cork, Dublin. I'm gonna drive to that roundabout some day and drive around in circles til i'm dizzy and just take a weekend in whatever exit i swing out on.
As for the plan, looks brilliant.
Its not pessimistic to hope for half of it to happen at double the cost.
What i would do for a train that runs west from Belfast, that fecking Enniskillen express bus takes over 2 hours to get me home (journey would be 1 hour by car).Quote:
Originally Posted by dcfcsteve
It's nothing but a padded out press release. Very little new, bar the pie in the sky Atlantic Highway. Christ they didn't even get the western rail corridor right (the most important bit short term is the bit into Galway).
Also loads of ppp's, which cost the tax payer far more in the long term. Road users paying on the tick for something the Government could build far cheaper if they went to the finance markets themselves, especially at current rates.
At least Dual Carriageways, by passing all towns and villages on route. Have you tried getting down the country from Dublin on a Friday (or back up on a Sunday night)?Quote:
Originally Posted by dcfcsteve
I agree about rail capacity, however, that only works properly if there are local transport services when you arrive.
As for the plan as a whole. Most of it was announced years ago. I mean how long ago was it Mary O'Rourke promised a metro to the airport? Cherrywood extension, and then onto Bray, first launched 2 years ago iirc.
All the roads paid on the tick by the users. ppp's are the worst kind of short termism by Goverments - the make no financial sense. It's like buying a house by high interest hire purchase agreement instead of taking a mortgage at mortgage rates. All because of an irrational fear of debt - it's okay if it's for capital projects ffs.
More Fekin Fails promises remember the “A lot done more to do” campaign before the last election? And don’t talk to me about crap roads I have to take the N3 home at weekends utter crap until you get past Kells:mad: .
Agree to a point. And yes the Dutch have a fantastic railway infrastructure.Quote:
Originally Posted by dcfcsteve
However I've driven in Holland and they also have a superb mortorway network too.
Plans are great, FF do a lot of them but actually bringing in at budgetted cost is something they know nothing about & have no track record of.
I was looking at DUblin section of plan & amoung all the different colours its hard to see whats new in it. After a while its clear that there is very little new there & mostly focused on south side of the city again. Can anyone tell me why they have a metro through Abbotstown? i.e. underground.
Also agree with DCFC.
I think it's a blue-print for an even more car obsessed poorly and expensively serviced urban sprawl.
Mere lip service paid to the western rail link.
From my own Shannonside perspective -why a commuter rail link for Galway and Cork but NOT Limerick when Limerick has existing track structure on every approach to the city?
No light rail link to Shannon airport either which strongly suggests to me that this government is giving up on it.
Being from Donegal I have to ask what is a rail link:confused:Quote:
Originally Posted by Lionel Ritchie
The main roads in the this country need to be at a minimum dualcarraigeway. This minimal addition would save countless lives every year.
This is a politically motivated "plan" with election in coming years. Its a typical "bit of everyone" type plan. Public-Private "Partnerships" are terrible idea - its what has caused the West Link Toll bridge in Dublin.
To service Bohs and Shels new ground.Quote:
Originally Posted by pete
Shouldn't that be Balbriggan then? :)Quote:
Originally Posted by Macy
Quote:
Originally Posted by finlma
Finna Failed indeed. The last plan was nothing short of a diaster. we got robbed and its still not finished. Half the stuff on the new plan probably will never see the light of day.
I just hope the METRO to swords gets built. It will me easier access (for foreign clubs ;))to Shelbourne F.C new home.
You are not far wrong there !! :( :mad:Quote:
Originally Posted by thejollyrodger
Will this be like the "Dublin-Cork Motorway by 2008" plan?
Its easy for Bertie to say will come in at budget as he will be long gone by the time we find out the truth.
hilarious plan. FF are just taking the pi$$ to see how many idiots fall for this nonsense. they have no intention of building this.
national stadium how many millions spent and therel be no stadium, the ridiculous overspending on a 66% completed luas plan.
this plan is absolute bull$hit.
not a hope in hell it will get built
Even easier when they won't tell us the fookin budget!?!?!?!Quote:
Originally Posted by pete