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THE EMPHASIS IS on communication as Dublin gears up for the construction of the Luas Cross City line, which will join the red and green Luas lines in the city.
Grainne Mackin has been appointed by the National Transport Agency (NTA) as the Director of Communications for the Luas Cross City project, an example of how the stakeholders involved are showing they are aware of the importance of communication as the project gets underway.
This is the first time that anyone has been given the role of communications officer for this specific part of the Luas project.
Disruption
Mackin told TheJournal.ie that work on the new line is imminent, but that people will not experience on-street disruption for another few months. The cellar works - during which Georgian cellars are to be filled in – will begin at the end of June, but are not expected to create much disruption except on some footpaths. In September, the utility works will begin, which will lead to some traffic diversions.
The cellar works will go on until February of next year.
One Dublin-based businessman is encouraging business owners to make sure they stay engaged with the Luas Cross City line as it undergoes instruction.
Ruaidhri McSharry, whose former business was located on Harcourt St while the green line was being built, encouraged business owners to “engage in the process from the outset” and to “continue to keep an eye on the progress”.
Communication
Mackin said that the NTA wants to give all the people affected by the works – commuters, business people, and shoppers, for example – as much notice as possible, and details about where diversions are going to be.
“Communication is going to be really important,” she said, advising that “a lot has moved on since the last project”. That includes how commuters get into and around Dublin city, with real-time bus information and Dublin Bikes being two new elements of the city landscape since the Luas was first introduced.
“The Luas’ popularity is testament to its success,” said Mackin. With a large amount of taxis also on the city streets, there are “different considerations” this time around in terms of the movements and travel patterns of urban commuters.
The concern is “how we communicate with people – making sure people have as much notice in advance [as possible]“, said Mackin, noting that social media will play a big role in that.
Mackin said that appointing a director of communications for the Luas Cross City project “shows the commitment that the stakeholders have”. Her role is a joint commitment between Dublin City Council and the NTA.
She said that it is “hugely important the city remains open” during the new Luas line construction, and that people know if their journey will be affected.
There are committees and forums in place to ensure communication between all the groups involved and the business owners and residents in the affected areas, she added.
Everyone has their own input, said Mackin. They want to be “working as closely as possible together” and there is a “genuine commitment to do that”.
Everyone wants to play their part.
Ger Hannon of the Railway Procurement Agency told TheJournal.ie that it is “fair to say we have very much taken on board everything we have learnt over the years” from the initial Luas lines and extensions, and that they will be applying that now in the works that are coming up.
He said that they want to ensure that once the contractors commit to doing the work, that they will be able to proceed with that “without hiccup”.
He continued that face-to-face meetings with business groups and individual businesses along the line is very important, and that they will also be providing people with information on the construction work by “making extensive use of social media”.
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Why is it on us? We can’t control the amount of packaging these days. Guess who can? Oh yeah!-the conpanies who package their goods. Deal with them.
@a: Totally agree that we should hold these companies accountable. I’ve even written to some companies in relation to this.
However, we can also have a huge impact by not buying products with wasteful packaging. If we don’t buy the products, they won’t keeping making them.
We should also buy more local and second hand products. Charity shops are great for Christmas shopping.
@a: Exactly, you will see ‘My M&S’ ‘My this’ & ‘My That’ but when it comes down to it you will also see ‘YOUR WASTE’ – yourwaste.ie
They don’t want the waste yet they allow it to be produced.
@a: I wrote to my local TD (a green party TD) and never received any response but this was the gist of it. More expensive everyday items you buy in the likes of Dunnes generally (but not always) comes in packaging that is recyclable- stuff such as apples etc. But your same lower priced items in Lidl/Aldi etc do not and it’s this that is making a difference. There is also confusion amongst many between the difference of ‘made from recycled material’ and ‘recyclable material’ it confuses most and the packaging can be difficult to discern based on that. The onus should be on suppliers/packaging companiez/sellers and government to make it impossible to sell in non recyclable material.
No convenient recycling facilities available for polystyrene so this still goes into the general waste. Only lip service from companies to reduce reuse recycle but the consuner gets the blame
@Dangling Damo: Even though most of the bin collectors don’t allow it they will actually separate it in the recycling center. It’s purely a cost thing so it’s not a heinous crime like including wet waste or something which can mean an entire trucks worth of recycling is ruined.
I try to avoid such packaging when I can but I don’t feel one bit bad about sending it off in the bin when I do happen to need to get rid of some and I don’t have enough other stuff to justify a run to a bring site.
Limit your contacts,
Limit your travel ,
Limit your waste ,
Sure why don’t I limit oxygen aswell while I’m at it this Christmas
@JillyBean: You could
Selection boxes drive me mad. Complete waste of cardboard and plastic.
@Caroline Otoole: Absolutely right. Yet people still buy them and blame the companies who make them for the waste.
Kids don’t care about the box. Just buy a few chocolate bars instead.
@Caroline Otoole: Not just that they are packaged using cardboard and plastic, they make the packaging oversized to make it appear you are getting more than you actually are, an even bigger waste.
I am less concerned about the cardboard, but the plastic needs to be removed.
If the Govt implemented a returns process for that kind of plastic (like 10c per pack) going back to the point of purchase, those shops would then put pressure on suppliers to produce without the plastic.
Got a package from Amazon this week that would usually be wrapped in a box or plastic bag, but this came in a paper bag. It can be done.
@Conrad Shields: actually saw a post on twitter during the week about this. It was a photo of the packaging alongside the bit of chocolate thats in one. It was quite jarring.
@Caroline Otoole: totally agree! Over sized packaging!! I don’t buy selection boxes for this reason
I am calling on all journal readers to boycott these polls until a serious controversial topic is put up for discussion. The odd seasonal topic is OK, but not a relentless diet of them.
I made a perfectly valid point and was censored by the moderator.
@SteveBuzzard: I believe the moderator is fond of a box of After Eights. Do you see where I am going with this? :-)
Celebrating with my parents this year, thankfully, and they live in a zero waste household so I have no choice.
Make up gift sets and perfume packaging are the worst offenders next to children’s toys. I’m trying as best I can to avoid buying them. It’s not easy though.
@Teresa O’Donnell-Joyce: Keep it up. All we can do is our best. We just need to be conscious consumers.
Consider making your own gift sets with individually selected products instead of prepackaged sets. It’s a much more thoughtful gift. It’s not easy and takes extra time of course. I understand that sometimes it’s just not an option.
Good luck with the Christmas shopping.
@Jim Smith: My family will be given home baking gifts. Shame about my dodgy baking skills. It’ll be fun.
Yes I won’t be buying as much food this year like tins of sweets crisps biscuits etc. Wasted do much ladt year
Will buy some nice crackers cheese and maybe some nice meats to go with.
Stove ,free heat ,end of story.
I’m bought three rolls of wrapping paper last year, and I am still using it. But then again, the gifts weren’t huge to wrap.
@Lisa Saputo: gift bags are handy as you can reuse them next year once you don’t write on the tag
Moderator doesn’t like musical notes either. We’ll it’s their loss. It was a a wonderful comment;-)
and if people cannot limit their waste by eating and drinking moderately, they can recycle personal waste by using a compost lavatory.
No
I can’t be ars@d to wrap gifts, so this poll is perfect for me. I just used gift bags, that my Mammy saves and reuses the next Christmas!! We have been doing are bit for ages and didn’t even know it. Lol
I can’t be ars@d to wrap gifts, so this poll is perfect for me. I just used gift bags, that my Mammy saves and reuses the next Christmas!! Lol
have your say