[Article] Pay and Display on the way

[ACustomer]

What's a hammerhead?

[zag]

In a roads context it is also a widening in the road, often at the end of a cul-de-sac. As in the post above, they are supposedly there to aid in turning vehicles, but in practice they tend to become extra parking spaces for the commuters or residents since there is no yellow-box or other indication that the widening is there for a purpose.

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[Colm Moore]

Originally Posted by ACustomer

What's a hammerhead?

Instead of a turning circle at the end of a cul-de-sac, you have a 'T' so people can do a 3-point turn and run over 5 year olds.


From left to right - Roundabout - Turning Circle - (deformed) Hammerhead - Roundabout used for traffic calming.

http://maps.live.com/default.aspx?v=...cl=1&encType=1

[sean]

I was away during July and only saw this recently.

What a F@%#ing joke. I was wondering when and where the Stealth Taxes would start creeping in with the economy tanking. Guess I just got my answer.

I saw somewhere that Edgeworthstown (my local station) was on the list, and that proves that this is nothing more than a slimey stealth tax.

For starters, the station is at least 1/2 km from any portion of the town itself, basically it's a station in a field.
Secondly, the place is not pedestrian friendly at all - the entrance is off the main N4 road with almost no pedestrian access - there are no footpaths from the town as far as I know and things like pedestrian crossings/lights are nonexistant on the route from the station to the town.
Thirdly, most of the development in the town of housing estates and whatnot over the last decade has been to the North West of the town whereas the station is off to the South East.
Finally, cyclist facilities are nonexistant as are connecting buses.

In short, if you intend to take the train from Edgeworthstown station, you will be driving to it. Full stop. The car park itself is also pretty basic, nothing to write home about.

Furthermore, even if we accept Irish Rails "logic" that it's OK to fleece commuters because (just because) but not so much long distance or outside-the-GDA users (as their communique seems to suggest) the definition of Edgeworthstown and Longford as being in the Greater Dublin Area could use some examination. There may indeed be a considerable number of extreme commuters (economic migrants priced out of Dublin) living in the county and working in Dublin, but if I'm not mistaken most Longfordians use the train irregularly and would consider the Dublin journey to be long distance.

Unbe*******lievable.

[Mark Gleeson]

Members area will have more shortly

Please take photos of car park, we will build up a portfolio be very handy later. Few photos of the station would be helpful as well

Don't worry if you think your local station has escaped this time, the evil CIE money machine will be with you shortly

[Colm Moore]

Originally Posted by sean

Furthermore, even if we accept Irish Rails "logic" that it's OK to fleece commuters because (just because) but not so much long distance or outside-the-GDA users (as their communique seems to suggest) the definition of Edgeworthstown and Longford as being in the Greater Dublin Area could use some examination. There may indeed be a considerable number of extreme commuters (economic migrants priced out of Dublin) living in the county and working in Dublin, but if I'm not mistaken most Longfordians use the train irregularly and would consider the Dublin journey to be long distance.

I was under the impression that Longford trains were typically packed to the rafters at commuter times.

[Mark Gleeson]

Only one packed is the one with the 10 euro day return fare in the morning, people standing on it

Seats are no problem beyond Maynooth in the evening

[PeterR]

Is there any sign of an organised co-ordinated protest against these
parking charges?

The only protest I can think of is that we all take a day
off work and drive into the city and clog the roads around the
city centre for a couple of hours.

Any other suggestions???

I believe that there are 27 stations covered by the plan
and as has been stated elsewhere here, CIE are only getting
€1 million per year in this deal, this is pittance when they are
spending billions on the rail system.

The reason that this stuff happens is because there is never
any protest by the ordinary Joe Soap.

It's time for action...

[Mark Gleeson]

We do not condone activities which are illegal or likely to cause inconvenience to the public. The guilty parties here are Irish Rail management combined with a lazy Department of Transport, not the long suffering commuting public.

Irish Rail have the full backing of the Department of Transport, last time around they didn't and it collapsed.

We are working on, and are very close to completion of something which may stop Irish Rail. It might only work for a few months but it is likely to cause a serious rethink in Irish Rail. Can't say what it is yet in public.

Full details will be published here shortly after it has been completed.

[PeterR]

I would also disagree with activities which are illegal, but I do think that some kind of protest needs to be made.
Something that will make the government know how contentious the issue of pay parking is to the commuter.

I'm open to suggestions, but we're running out of time.

Is there any way to host a selection of standard letters here which can be downloaded and posted to the Minster?
Maybe one to the minster and one to a national paper.

It's also good to hear that other approaches are being taken.

[Thomas J Stamp]

Originally Posted by PeterR

I would also disagree with activities which are illegal, but I do think that some kind of protest needs to be made.
Something that will make the government know how contentious the issue of pay parking is to the commuter.

I'm open to suggestions, but we're running out of time.

Is there any way to host a selection of standard letters here which can be downloaded and posted to the Minster?
Maybe one to the minster and one to a national paper.

It's also good to hear that other approaches are being taken.

I remember standing outside Ranks as a teenager protesting and nothing happened.

You can drive all you like, its a drop in the ocean.

People doing nothing is what they rely on. A good friend of mine said this evening "why, its the government, you cant beat them"

as Mark says, we think we can.

become a member - make it happen

[chipper]

The foundations for the ticket machines are now in place in Drogheda and on Tuesday NCPS decided to litter the place by putting a flyer on every car windscreen. They have probably done this everywhere but for those who have not seen the flyer its opening line was to confirm that the monies are being collected to pay for parking improvements. We will have to hold them to that.

[Mark Hennessy]

Originally Posted by chipper

on Tuesday NCPS decided to litter the place by putting a flyer on every car windscreen.

So Irish Rail were happy to allow a leaflet to be placed on each car in the station? Interesting.

I've also seen them allow politicians quite happily block the entrances and hand out flyers too. I wonder do they have a consistent policy on this?

[Mark Gleeson]

Seriously now is the time for before and after photos folks

Take some photos of your car park send them onto us, then repeat 6 months later.

If they say they are going to improve the car park well lets hold them to it and be sure we can prove nothing was done

[RadarControl]

Nothing yet in Kildare. Kildare car-park has two nice big pot-holes. We will have to see if they get repaired with the money they collect. Will NCPS be cleaning up broken glass. There is one space in Kildare which had windscreen glass all over it for several months and still no sign of somebody cleaning up. Anybody got a start date for NCPS contract?
A neighbor of mine is a commerical grower and had to get planning permission to erect mini ploytene tunnels. These are no taller than a normal tyre on car. Should NCPS then be looking for planning permission to erect the Pay-Stations? Could object then and delay implementation.

[Mark Gleeson]

Sadly Irish Rail have all class of planning exemptions. Local authorities don't need planning permission on street parking pay and display

Photos people

We have photos of Monastervin, Hazelhatch and Edgewardstown (you know who you are thanks)

[chipper]

Ticket machines are now installed in Drogheda. It looks like they will have the system operational just in time for the annual September surge in commuter volume, which is nice. I wonder how long until Drogheda Town Council remove the 10 or so free parking spaces right outside the station?

The first thing that I noticed this morning was that they have already broken their promise to improve the carpark. A cursory glance showed at least two machines in what were previously perfectly good parking spaces so rather than make it better they have quickly reduced capacity.

[Mark Hennessy]

Originally Posted by chipper

The first thing that I noticed this morning was that they have already broken their promise to improve the carpark. A cursory glance showed at least two machines in what were previously perfectly good parking spaces so rather than make it better they have quickly reduced capacity.

Remember this only about fleecing the commuters, not about providing any form of enhanced service.

[Mark Hennessy]

Anyone got anymore reports of stations having car parking installed?

[Mark Hennessy]

Ok folks,

We've attached a letter template on this issue.

Please take the time to fill it out and post it off to your local TD.

The only way to fight Irish Rail is to get politicians to shame them.

Please make the effort to send this to your local TD, only when they get pressure will they take action.

Otherwise we will be ripped off as usual.

http://railusers.ie/news/news.php?year=2008&no=16.html