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THERE HAS BEEN a significant increase in the number of cars on Irish roads in the past three years – with almost 15% more cars on the roads this year when compared to 2013.
Data collected by Transport Infrastructure Ireland show that there were 0ver 408,000 vehicles on the roads on one recorded day in 2013 – this has increased by 58,000 on the same day of the year in 2016 (representing a 14% increase).
The increase of cars on Irish roads is most pronouced at this time of year, as weather worsens and commuters opt for their cars instead of public transport.
Before, gardaí would implement a campaign called Operation Freeflow, where probational gardaí would assist in diverting traffic and helping ease congestions at particularly busy areas during the winter.
But due to the freeze on recruitment up until recently, there haven’t been enough officers to roll out the campaign and Freeflow was stopped in 2011.
Since then, gardaí have introduced scaled back measures around the Christmas period, with similar measures planned for this year.
In a statement to TheJournal.ie, a spokesperson from the gardaí said:
There will be a traffic operation put in place for Dublin Metropolitan Region for the Christmas period. Finer details are yet to be confirmed.
Arwen Foley, editor of AA Roadwatch, says that there are a number of possible reasons for the increase of cars on the roads:
There has been an increase in the number of new cars being bought this year – we’re not exactly at Celtic Tiger figures but they’re up there, which is leading to an increase in traffic congestion.
“Six or seven years ago we were seeing our lightest numbers of traffic, but now more people are returning to the roads.”
Housing is also having an influence – obviously rental costs and property prices are up, meaning more people are commuting from the Dublin commuter belt to the city centre.
“Traffic infrastructure has improved. The M7 opened up by the Newlands flyover, meaning that there are no traffic lights between Cork and Belfast now.
“The M50 has more lanes open, and the N11 has bypass open near Arklow/ Newtownmountkennedy.
That’s not to say there aren’t difficulties:
“The Swords Road is an ongoing problem where the only way to alleviate it is to go around using the Port Tunnel. That’s an issue we are always reporting on.
“The N21 Adare goes from one lane to two and is a complete bottleneck. There are no other routes to Tralee which leaves little options for motorists.”
And of course, the weather is a factor in how many vehicles there are on the roads:
“Earlier in the year we had a lot of bad weather and storms between October and March, which led to an increase in the number of people taking their cars to travel. This would also have an increase on the number of people on the roads.”
Councillor Mick Duff says that a build up of traffic in his Tallaght constituency is the result of a different problem altogether – namely construction works partnered with a lack of warning for approaching motorists.
“The increase in traffic build up in recent months in Tallaght is in part attributable to the new Amazon site on the Belgard Road, which required significant upgrades to services, which meant that parts of Belgard Road, Airton Road, Mayberry Road and the Greenhills were badly affected.
“Other upgrades, such as the Tallaght to Templeogue cycle way, seriously impacted on traffic through Tallaght village for over 12 months during the upgrade works.”
Councillor Duff said that measures need to be introduced to give prior warning to local representatives to spread to motorists, as well as put signs up to warn people that a build-up could be ahead of them:
“We need to look again at major junctions on the motorways, compulsory electronic warning signs for roadworks on secondary roads and the local authorities to provide advance information to its elected representaives and on its websites to help inform the travelling public.
“The introduction of car pooling, with access to the bus lanes, now must also be considered and Operation Freeflow should be extended to suburban areas which experience major traffic delays.”
A clear failure in procedure here, not government policy. The inclusion of ministerial criticism in this article is bewildering.
Parish pump……
Isn’t the driver suppose to check the carraiges afterwards to make sure stuff like this doesnt happen?
Yeah and when questioned the driver will be absolved of all responsibility at the behest of the union rep.
Do Irish rail have emergency buttons or pull cords for those with a disability in case of distress.
Yes
Emergency buttons in wheelchair ares, end of coaches and toilets but need to be pulled when train is active so it should of being pressed soon after arrival had nobody arrived.
So Irish Rail are now responsible for charging your phone?
Best thing is he had 3 hours beside a plug and didn’t use it!
No they are not, but they are responsible for a full and complete search of the carriages when the service of the train terminates for whatever reason.
@RonanM, did you even read the article? It specifically says there were no charge points on this train. Keep trolling.
I remember once when I was locked on a train, most expensive pints I’ve ever had.
I’d kind of have assumed that with the modern fleet they’d be well equipped to handle disabled passengers, ramps, wide doors, emergency call buttons etc. It seems a serious failure of processes to allow this to happen. The poor guy.
Irish rail are a f****n joke for disabled passengers. I dread going anywhere with them God knows where I’ll end up because I can’t guarantee a ramp will be where I actually wana go.
Good old journal.. yesterdays news today. The train driver didn’t bother walking through the train before locking all doors, turning off lights etc from the cabin. simple as that.
“journal.. yesterdays news today.”
Yet here you are.
The trains have auto shutdown….
Yet here i am Chris… this was the most read topic on breakingnews website yesterday. at least the bus drivers check the bus before locking up, in case you know some disabled person cant get off or someone is fast asleep at the back of the bus. All doors are locked from the drivers cabin. when the train engine is shut down – the doors cannot be opened.
Why you do frequent a site that has old news? Seems kinda dumb.
Christ these comments show an appalling attitude towards people with disabilities. There is a huge level of ignorance on display here, which is understandable if you don’t work with people with disabilities. What troubles me is that people still seem to think themselves qualified to criticise Ger. As someone who both knows the man in question and treats people with his condition every day I can assure you that it is nowhere near as simple as some people have suggested.
Climbing down out of Irish trains is not easy for people with impaired mobility. Walking along a flat aisle with seats all round to lean on is not the same as descending a high step, across a gap and onto a platform without rails. Indeed many people without impairments find some Irish platforms troublesome to use (the big curve in the platform in Kent Station in Cork anyone?)
I ask you all please, for the sake of people with disabilities, consider the fact that you have neither sufficient information nor adequate qualifications before deciding if someone “disabled enough” to have a valid complaint. Many of these comments add insult to a complete stranger who has already undergone a humiliating experience, that is simply not ok.
I don’t know why the guy is asking Ministers why it happened. It’s not as if they personally run the train service.
Someone should do a check of the train when it stops for many reasons, security etc. They obviously failed this time and left this chap for 35 minutes. It is a mistake and I’m sure it was traumatic for the guy. Get over it and move one. No doubt a financial settlement will wipe the trauma away in an instant.
I know this man personally as a friend and this is the THIRD time this has happened to him on an Irish Rail train. He “got over it” as you so eloquently put it, twice previously and Irish Rail never responded to his complaints or acted on them if it’s happened a third time.
He’s well entitled to publicly come out about his experience, maybe now Irish Rail will be forced to act to make their fleet accessible for all passengers. Or at the very least introduce new work protocols/practices to ensure this doesn’t happen again.
Agree that a new protocol needs to be introduced for many reasons like this for example or security etc.
But to address a Minister directly is, as a previous comment put it bewildering.
@ shane comer well said , the bottom line is nobody gives a damn anymore! just pay your money and put up or shut up. irish rail and others see no reason to look after the customer, customer service means nothing. however, to be a disabled customer your in real trouble! just watch the bus service and how a wheelchair used is treated……many will pull up and just tell them the bus is too packed to take them …even if it isnt!
shane , i am sorry to say we are a long way off making irish rail and others make their fleet accessible for all passengers, the biggest barrier is you are dealing with people that just dont care!
Complete overreaction by all, its not ad if IE set out to do it, nobody is prefect.
There is emergency escapes if he wanted to get out to…
How would he get off the train without the wheelchair ramp???
What a stupid statement. He wasn’t in Lourdes
Using emergency door would open it and people would see.
Anyway the person can walk, so he could of opened and looked out…
Im not defending IE but mistakes happen, blowing it up to the media is attention seeking.
@ronanm you are a knob. A complete one
Very informative Mile….
@ mike – are you taking the p*ss with your profile pic?
https://pbs.twimg.com/profile_images/597603899680411648/Jzq1vnKf_400x400.jpg
The same way he got out of his mobility scooter and got to the seating area..
RonanM, instead of giving out about something you clearly have no knowledge on; why don’t you just be thankful that you can avail of rail services without having to inform them in advance and then when you do get to use the train spend your time worrying whether there will be someone at the other end to help you get off!
Ah Ronan m , the man is wheelchair bound did you not even read the article ?
Same thing happened to a friend of mine. They were left on the train also ! All the lights went out and nobody came with the ramp , just by chance a worker passed by and told them up at the station office !!! Excuse was they didn’t radio threw from cork to say a wheelchair was on board !
Out of myself I hope
What do you expect from a bruton
Same thing happened to a friend of mine. They were left on the train also ! All the lights went out and nobody came with the ramp , just by chance a worker passed by and told them up at the station office !!! Excuse was they didn’t radio threw from cork to say a wheelchair was on board !
Irish Rail customer service is appalling. I spent 30 mind yesterday phoning Kent station to get time table eventually had to ring Dublin to get it. It rang out 4 times.
Google?
Google hasn’t been invented for some people yet.
Maybe they could post one out to you?
Jesus Tony. Hope it works out for you. Dreadful experience.
Learn how to work da Google on the Internet machine!
Irish rail worker? Surely that’s a contradiction. I seen the Dublin to cork train leave heuston one day before any passengers had boarded because nobody was at the gate to check them on. The train travelled to cork empty. That actually happened believe it or not.
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