Any other posters notice it has become really congested over the past few weeks? Even at Toome towards Moneynick. Serious tailbacks again this morning
I think traffic all over Belfast has been worse than ever since the schools went back this year, compared to last year or the year before any journey takes a lot longer at rush hour, and if it rains it's an absolute disaster.
We have probably the worst infrastructure in Western Europe! Hold on we don't actually have any infrastructure!!
I think bus lanes congest belfast more and then everything backs up after a certain time.
Nightmare these days for traffic. Journey time to work has doubled and then some since september.
Accident today.
The traffic on the M1 is a complete nightmare at the min too.
The bus lanes doent seem to help at all.
What i dont understand is, if they were going to put in bus lane, why does it not run the whole way from the Sprucefeild park and ride?
it seems to be of limited use to the buses as well, by the time it starts, the traffic has cleared a bit anyway :-\
I head the other way and at 7.00am its bumper to bumper from the bridge at Toome to Castledawson R'about - and probably further only I don't head on the Glenshane Road. Same on way home at 5.00pm.
I couldnt stick that one day never mind 5 !!
This just sums up the clowns we have working in this part of the world!!
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-northern-ireland-30164259
Chronic traffic problems and a severe lack of public transport. I know what we'll do. Encourage more cars on our roads!!
Traffic much worse than it used to be, both M1 and M2. As someone said, a bit of rain and it could nearly double journey time.
Instead of improving the public transport system they've tried to force people onto the bus by putting bus lanes all through the city centre to block traffic up.
One of their barometers recently was a measurement of how many cars passed through a particular street, can't mind which one, between something like 4 and 5 o'clock. The count was significantly down therefore they deemed bus lanes successful. Did they not consider that in fact the traffic wasn't moving in that street??
Getting worse and will get no better. Those new bus lanes need ripped out.
Quote from: imtommygunn on November 27, 2014, 10:34:44 AM
Instead of improving the public transport system they've tried to force people onto the bus by putting bus lanes all through the city centre to block traffic up.
One of their barometers recently was a measurement of how many cars passed through a particular street, can't mind which one, between something like 4 and 5 o'clock. The count was significantly down therefore they deemed bus lanes successful. Did they not consider that in fact the traffic wasn't moving in that street??
Getting worse and will get no better. Those new bus lanes need ripped out.
I haev no issue with the bus lanes really,a s long as the public transport system is being improved along side them, which it isnt.
Like i say the sprucefeild park & ride is ridiculous.
Park your car at sprucefeild, then pay for a bus to sit in the worst of the morning traffic for a few miles before it begins to ease up and the bus lanes then kick in.
Pointless.
The bus lanes are a joke, traffic queued for miles yet the bus lane is sitting idle for 90% of the time.
Quote from: Walter Cronc on November 27, 2014, 09:44:20 AM
We have probably the worst infrastructure in Western Europe! Hold on we don't actually have any infrastructure!!
Was talking to a woman from the North the other day and she was laughing saying how glad she does be cross the border when going south as the road network is so much better nowadays. How things have changed.
Been travelling it for the past 5 years.
Back rounds around Toome are the only way to avoid the queue there.
As for the M2, avoid the car park that it is in the morning by heading For Antrim and then over the Mountain into Belfast. Saves me easily 45 minutes every day.
The M2 problem is easily solved.
1. Remove the traffic lights at the start/end of the M2 in Belfast that link to the West Link.
Then the traffic should flow a lot better.
2. Make a Motorway that links the M2 the whole way to Derry.
Quote from: FermGael on November 27, 2014, 12:05:16 PM
Been travelling it for the past 5 years.
Back rounds around Toome are the only way to avoid the queue there.
As for the M2, avoid the car park that it is in the morning by heading For Antrim and then over the Mountain into Belfast. Saves me easily 45 minutes every day.
The M2 problem is easily solved.
1. Remove the traffic lights at the start/end of the M2 in Belfast that link to the West Link.
Then the traffic should flow a lot better.
2. Make a Motorway that links the M2 the whole way to Derry.
Extending a motorway for another 50 miles is not an easy solution. They badly need to change the road from toome bypass to the motorway, need to bypass Dungiven and after those two things are done they can change the road from the castledawson roundabout to Dungiven to a dual carriageway
Aye I'm sure you would have a better chance of a new road than us poor souls in the west of the province.
Quote from: Mario on November 27, 2014, 12:17:28 PM
Quote from: FermGael on November 27, 2014, 12:05:16 PM
Been travelling it for the past 5 years.
Back rounds around Toome are the only way to avoid the queue there.
As for the M2, avoid the car park that it is in the morning by heading For Antrim and then over the Mountain into Belfast. Saves me easily 45 minutes every day.
The M2 problem is easily solved.
1. Remove the traffic lights at the start/end of the M2 in Belfast that link to the West Link.
Then the traffic should flow a lot better.
2. Make a Motorway that links the M2 the whole way to Derry.
Extending a motorway for another 50 miles is not an easy solution. They badly need to change the road from toome bypass to the motorway, need to bypass Dungiven and after those two things are done they can change the road from the castledawson roundabout to Dungiven to a dual carriageway
Wont be that easy to upgrade it to a dual. Plenty of properties and premises running parallel to the route. Will likely be a mishmash of roundabouts unless there is a huge windfall of cash to fund a new build.
At the time the Toome by-pass was built there was a story going around that FP McCann who built the bypass offered to extend it way all the way from the Castledawson roundabout to the motorway on very fair terms including repayment over a long period of time but this was turned down by the Department of Environment.
I think a bit part of the problem between Toome and the motorway is lorries turning right into McLarnons mill. The sheer volume of traffic coming from the Belfast side makes it very difficult for them to cross the road and they end up holding back a serious amount of traffic coming behind them. Add into the mix traffic coming from side roads and it just becomes a real bottleneck. Usually once you clear there traffic moves on quickly again.
Then add onto all of that our useless MLA's with their panache for wasting money left right and centre and you have your problem.
Quote from: FermGael on November 27, 2014, 12:05:16 PM
Been travelling it for the past 5 years.
Back rounds around Toome are the only way to avoid the queue there.
As for the M2, avoid the car park that it is in the morning by heading For Antrim and then over the Mountain into Belfast. Saves me easily 45 minutes every day.
The M2 problem is easily solved.
1. Remove the traffic lights at the start/end of the M2 in Belfast that link to the West Link.
Then the traffic should flow a lot better.
2. Make a Motorway that links the M2 the whole way to Derry.
Yeah, in one feckin way. I think its safe to presume there's traffic coming into Belfast from more than the M2 at this junction.
Traffic in Belfast is shocking at the minute its a bad as it has been since the time some bright spark decided to do road works on the M1, M2, Sydenham bypass and Hill Hall road all at the same time a few years back. I remember reading at that time that Belfast would take longer to evacuate per person than any other city in Europe in the event of a terrorist attack.
Concerts at the Odyssey can also cause big issues not only on M3/Sydneham bypass but even as far back as the Westlink. All in all its a farce
The problem is not the roads. There was never an issue when the Motorways were opened.
The problem is that there are too many cars. Tomorrow, check how many cars have only one occupant? That wont include me as I will be giving my blow-up doll a lift into work.
Quote from: Orior on November 27, 2014, 04:24:32 PM
The problem is not the roads. There was never an issue when the Motorways were opened.
The problem is that there are too many cars. Tomorrow, check how many cars have only one occupant? That wont include me as I will be giving my blow-up doll a lift into work.
I used to have a blow up doll, but not only did she let me down, she let herself down.
Quote from: Walter Cronc on November 27, 2014, 01:17:52 PM
Quote from: Mario on November 27, 2014, 12:17:28 PM
Quote from: FermGael on November 27, 2014, 12:05:16 PM
Been travelling it for the past 5 years.
Back rounds around Toome are the only way to avoid the queue there.
As for the M2, avoid the car park that it is in the morning by heading For Antrim and then over the Mountain into Belfast. Saves me easily 45 minutes every day.
The M2 problem is easily solved.
1. Remove the traffic lights at the start/end of the M2 in Belfast that link to the West Link.
Then the traffic should flow a lot better.
2. Make a Motorway that links the M2 the whole way to Derry.
Extending a motorway for another 50 miles is not an easy solution. They badly need to change the road from toome bypass to the motorway, need to bypass Dungiven and after those two things are done they can change the road from the castledawson roundabout to Dungiven to a dual carriageway
Wont be that easy to upgrade it to a dual. Plenty of properties and premises running parallel to the route. Will likely be a mishmash of roundabouts unless there is a huge windfall of cash to fund a new build.
Get those useless feckers on the hill to pay back the money they have been claiming and you would get a few miles....
You won't be driving fast anyway, as the road will not be gritted
http://www.bbc.com/news/uk-northern-ireland-30232706
Motorways aren't difficult per se. It's that they are expensive, needing roundabouts, flyovers and alternative routes. Dualling is much cheaper but inherently more unsafe with traffic both joining and leaving to right and left. Add a 70mph speed limit and you are guaranteed carnage. But sure thats good enough for us culchies west of tbe Bann. 😕
A concert in the odyssey arena = Delays across the city, the west link is usually a nightmare.
I've never seen traffic as bad both on M1 and M2, when the schools get off it's a relief.
Quote from: FermGael on November 27, 2014, 12:05:16 PM
Been travelling it for the past 5 years.
Back rounds around Toome are the only way to avoid the queue there.
As for the M2, avoid the car park that it is in the morning by heading For Antrim and then over the Mountain into Belfast. Saves me easily 45 minutes every day.
The M2 problem is easily solved.
1. Remove the traffic lights at the start/end of the M2 in Belfast that link to the West Link.
Then the traffic should flow a lot better.
2. Make a Motorway that links the M2 the whole way to Derry.
#1 is in the pipeline: http://www.wesleyjohnston.com/roads/m2m3westlink.html
The question is the length of the pipeline.
Traffic at the end of M2 heading towards Toome has been a disaster lately in evenings
Anyone know of any short cuts in the area to cut out moneynick area?
funny you mention the extra traffic...the trains are jam packed. I haven't got a seat on the train in a long long time, sardines in a tin. These last 2 weeks i have seen 2 girls faint on the train in the morning on their way to work who had to stand and the heat on the trains is keeling them over. Translink have said they have seen a 6% increase in the last 6 months alone (I reckon it's more)...
So where is all this traffic coming from...M1 packed, M2 packed, Buses and bus lanes packed and trains on overload...WTF
Quote from: illdecide on October 27, 2017, 03:31:33 PM
funny you mention the extra traffic...the trains are jam packed. I haven't got a seat on the train in a long long time, sardines in a tin. These last 2 weeks i have seen 2 girls faint on the train in the morning on their way to work who had to stand and the heat on the trains is keeling them over. Translink have said they have seen a 6% increase in the last 6 months alone (I reckon it's more)...
So where is all this traffic coming from...M1 packed, M2 packed, Buses and bus lanes packed and trains on overload...WTF
Seafoid reckons it's Brexit
Quote from: illdecide on October 27, 2017, 03:31:33 PM
funny you mention the extra traffic...the trains are jam packed. I haven't got a seat on the train in a long long time, sardines in a tin. These last 2 weeks i have seen 2 girls faint on the train in the morning on their way to work who had to stand and the heat on the trains is keeling them over. Translink have said they have seen a 6% increase in the last 6 months alone (I reckon it's more)...
So where is all this traffic coming from...M1 packed, M2 packed, Buses and bus lanes packed and trains on overload...WTF
The M2 is due to the new road and it's a f**king nightmare I've only had to do it once but I couldn't face that twice a day every day. . . not sure about the others!
Immigrants.
Quote from: Orior on November 27, 2014, 04:24:32 PM
The problem is not the roads. There was never an issue when the Motorways were opened.
The problem is that there are too many cars. Tomorrow, check how many cars have only one occupant? That wont include me as I will be giving my blow-up doll a lift into work.
https://youtu.be/n5h0qHwNrHk
Is the roundabout at Toome named after Roddy Mccorley? It should be.
Quote from: giveherlong on October 27, 2017, 03:18:29 PM
Traffic at the end of M2 heading towards Toome has been a disaster lately in evenings
Anyone know of any short cuts in the area to cut out moneynick area?
Staffordstown Rd at Randalstown takes you into Toome.
Quote from: blewuporstuffed on November 27, 2014, 10:11:37 AM
The traffic on the M1 is a complete nightmare at the min too.
The bus lanes doent seem to help at all.
What i dont understand is, if they were going to put in bus lane, why does it not run the whole way from the Sprucefeild park and ride?
it seems to be of limited use to the buses as well, by the time it starts, the traffic has cleared a bit anyway :-\
Are you saying that the traffic moves better where there's a bus lane than were there isn't one? Surely that'd mean the bus lane is helping.
Great video here about traffic:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N4PW66_g6XA (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N4PW66_g6XA)
Touches on induced demand and how adding more capacity to roads doesn't help even though you'd expect it to. One thing I didn't know before watching that is traffic grows exponentially. You only have to add a small number of cars to add a lot of time to your journey.
Toome never been as bad as at present; shortcuts - cut to randalstown staffordtown been tried! 1
30mins to get through randalstown alone in peak traffic: cut up the ballymena line and into randalstown at least 20 mins; straight to ballymena then toome; again 25mins! There no way round toome: if u dont hit it before 4-30 you screwed! Any later i actually go home the M1 after 4-30 as heading moneymore direction
Blame Peter Robinson/Arlene cnut-face Foster and her leeches for draining 1bn in legalised fraud while every other public service suffers.
There is almost no traffic solution that can be implemented to resolve the problems in and out of Belfast because when the York Street interchange is built (thanks to DUP money), the A6 is dualled to Derry (thanks to DUP money) and the fast transit system is implemented (thanks to EU money) the amount of traffic will have increased to fill the new capacity.
The solution is for competent politicians to take the planning in Belfast in hand and away from Belfast City Council. New office blocks, government agencies, etc should all be moved out of the city to virtually free land at the Maze where there is 350 acres of flat building land and to the West. BCC wants all of this to fill its coffers with business rates and draws the population to work in Belfast from all over the country when it can't even transport the locals with any efficiency. There is no reason why the Maze site could not have been used the plethora of new business that has congregated in the city centre and Titanic quarter. Oh yes there is, DUP fell out with pals in SF who then blocked the building of a motorway exchange at the site until a H block memorial was built thereby failing to utilise the best development site outside Belfast. With modern technology, new businesses coming into N.Ireland can be built anywhere, same for government agencies instead of sticking them in east Belfast and North Down and then expecting civil servant to drive through the city which had two top traffic jams in the UK despite having a population of only 600,000!
The UK's top 10 most congested roads, and the number of hours lost to them in 2016, were:
A406 Northbound - Chiswick Roundabout to Hanger Lane, London - 73 hours
A2 Eastbound - New Cross Gate to Prince Charles Road, London - 62 hours
A3211 Eastbound - Westminster Bridge to London Bridge, London - 57 hours
A102 Northbound - A2/Kidbrooke to Blackwall Tunnel, London - 51 hours
A4200 Southbound - Russell Square to Aldwych, London - 50 hours
A1 Southbound - College Gardens to Wallace Park, Belfast - 49 hours
A308 Eastbound - Putney Bridge Approach to Sloane Square, London - 46 hours
A431 Westbound - Bryants Hill to Lawrence Hill, Bristol - 45 hours
A24 Northbound - Ormeau Road to Ann Street, Belfast - 45 hours
A6 Northbound - Macclesfield Road to Heaton Lane, Manchester - 44 hours
Expect Toome-Moneynick-M2 to join this with the current road building.
Unfortunately we don't have near competent politicians who can see further than the next self engineered crisis or their own cultural noses and the next election.
Quote from: Owen Brannigan on October 28, 2017, 11:33:53 AM
There is almost no traffic solution that can be implemented to resolve the problems in and out of Belfast because when the York Street interchange is built (thanks to DUP money), the A6 is dualled to Derry (thanks to DUP money) and the fast transit system is implemented (thanks to EU money) the amount of traffic will have increased to fill the new capacity.
The solution is for competent politicians to take the planning in Belfast in hand and away from Belfast City Council. New office blocks, government agencies, etc should all be moved out of the city to virtually free land at the Maze where there is 350 acres of flat building land and to the West. BCC wants all of this to fill its coffers with business rates and draws the population to work in Belfast from all over the country when it can't even transport the locals with any efficiency. There is no reason why the Maze site could not have been used the plethora of new business that has congregated in the city centre and Titanic quarter. Oh yes there is, DUP fell out with pals in SF who then blocked the building of a motorway exchange at the site until a H block memorial was built thereby failing to utilise the best development site outside Belfast. With modern technology, new businesses coming into N.Ireland can be built anywhere, same for government agencies instead of sticking them in east Belfast and North Down and then expecting civil servant to drive through the city which had two top traffic jams in the UK despite having a population of only 600,000!
The UK's top 10 most congested roads, and the number of hours lost to them in 2016, were:
A406 Northbound - Chiswick Roundabout to Hanger Lane, London - 73 hours
A2 Eastbound - New Cross Gate to Prince Charles Road, London - 62 hours
A3211 Eastbound - Westminster Bridge to London Bridge, London - 57 hours
A102 Northbound - A2/Kidbrooke to Blackwall Tunnel, London - 51 hours
A4200 Southbound - Russell Square to Aldwych, London - 50 hours
A1 Southbound - College Gardens to Wallace Park, Belfast - 49 hours
A308 Eastbound - Putney Bridge Approach to Sloane Square, London - 46 hours
A431 Westbound - Bryants Hill to Lawrence Hill, Bristol - 45 hours
A24 Northbound - Ormeau Road to Ann Street, Belfast - 45 hours
A6 Northbound - Macclesfield Road to Heaton Lane, Manchester - 44 hours
Expect Toome-Moneynick-M2 to join this with the current road building.
Unfortunately we don't have near competent politicians who can see further than the next self engineered crisis or their own cultural noses and the next election.
Ive been sceptical regarding the effects of moving the Jordanstown Campus to the city centre. Doubt this will help these matters.
Northern Ireland has a Protestant motorway system for a Protestant people. There isn't even a motorway to the biggest market on the island. FFS. In their heads many Unionists do not Iive in Ireland. And the money comes from somewhere magical. There is no need to trade with Taigs.
Before the war there were very few educated nationalists west of the Bann working in Belfast.
The war put a lid on growth of economic activity.
The economic crash in 2008 resulted in huge cuts to UK capital spending on things like roads.
The motorway system wasn't designed for now.
And Brexit will shunt money relentlessly to the rich. There won't be much new money for motorways.
The only point of NI is if there is a financial advantage to being British. Innit. What is the Ulster Scots for trína chéile?
Quote from: FermGael on November 27, 2014, 12:05:16 PM
Been travelling it for the past 5 years.
Back rounds around Toome are the only way to avoid the queue there.
As for the M2, avoid the car park that it is in the morning by heading For Antrim and then over the Mountain into Belfast. Saves me easily 45 minutes every day.
Yiz can fcuk away off
Quote from: seafoid on October 28, 2017, 11:54:25 AM
Northern Ireland has a Protestant motorway system for a Protestant people. There isn't even a motorway to the biggest market on the island. FFS. In their heads many Unionists do not Iive in Ireland. And the money comes from somewhere magical. There is no need to trade with Taigs.
Before the war there were very few educated nationalists west of the Bann working in Belfast.
The war put a lid on growth of economic activity.
The economic crash in 2008 resulted in huge cuts to UK capital spending on things like roads.
The motorway system wasn't designed for now.
And Brexit will shunt money relentlessly to the rich. There won't be much new money for motorways.
The only point of NI is if there is a financial advantage to being British. Innit. What is the Ulster Scots for trína chéile?
And the same with the railways.
All this talk of equality, fair employment, infrastructure, jobs, 50/50 police force etc is all bollix. It's all a facade. The underlying agenda in the North is still anti-catholic, and always will be.
Quite apart from closing the railways in Tyrone, the Stormont government closed the likes of the line to Banbridge and the BCDR which would have been very helpful as commuter lines. And parts of the closed lines would have been good for commuting also, e.g from Armagh or Dungannon.
But a measure of dispersal of jobs is needed, if some of the people driving through Toome were going to Derry to work then it would spread things around more.
Sure they're sending 1,000s of jobs to Ballykelly. Of all places. It will come to a standstill now.
Quote from: BennyCake on October 28, 2017, 02:10:28 PM
Quote from: seafoid on October 28, 2017, 11:54:25 AM
Northern Ireland has a Protestant motorway system for a Protestant people. There isn't even a motorway to the biggest market on the island. FFS. In their heads many Unionists do not Iive in Ireland. And the money comes from somewhere magical. There is no need to trade with Taigs.
Before the war there were very few educated nationalists west of the Bann working in Belfast.
The war put a lid on growth of economic activity.
The economic crash in 2008 resulted in huge cuts to UK capital spending on things like roads.
The motorway system wasn't designed for now.
And Brexit will shunt money relentlessly to the rich. There won't be much new money for motorways.
The only point of NI is if there is a financial advantage to being British. Innit. What is the Ulster Scots for trína chéile?
And the same with the railways.
All this talk of equality, fair employment, infrastructure, jobs, 50/50 police force etc is all bollix. It's all a facade. The underlying agenda in the North is still anti-catholic, and always will be.
That's bullshit in fairness Benny. Government here is a joint enterprise between SF & DUP
Quote from: Minder on October 29, 2017, 01:00:44 AM
Quote from: BennyCake on October 28, 2017, 02:10:28 PM
Quote from: seafoid on October 28, 2017, 11:54:25 AM
Northern Ireland has a Protestant motorway system for a Protestant people. There isn't even a motorway to the biggest market on the island. FFS. In their heads many Unionists do not Iive in Ireland. And the money comes from somewhere magical. There is no need to trade with Taigs.
Before the war there were very few educated nationalists west of the Bann working in Belfast.
The war put a lid on growth of economic activity.
The economic crash in 2008 resulted in huge cuts to UK capital spending on things like roads.
The motorway system wasn't designed for now.
And Brexit will shunt money relentlessly to the rich. There won't be much new money for motorways.
The only point of NI is if there is a financial advantage to being British. Innit. What is the Ulster Scots for trína chéile?
And the same with the railways.
All this talk of equality, fair employment, infrastructure, jobs, 50/50 police force etc is all bollix. It's all a facade. The underlying agenda in the North is still anti-catholic, and always will be.
That's bullshit in fairness Benny. Government here is a joint enterprise between SF & DUP
ok arthur, complete nonsense!
Quote from: Mikhail Prokhorov on October 29, 2017, 01:11:16 AM
Quote from: Minder on October 29, 2017, 01:00:44 AM
Quote from: BennyCake on October 28, 2017, 02:10:28 PM
Quote from: seafoid on October 28, 2017, 11:54:25 AM
Northern Ireland has a Protestant motorway system for a Protestant people. There isn't even a motorway to the biggest market on the island. FFS. In their heads many Unionists do not Iive in Ireland. And the money comes from somewhere magical. There is no need to trade with Taigs.
Before the war there were very few educated nationalists west of the Bann working in Belfast.
The war put a lid on growth of economic activity.
The economic crash in 2008 resulted in huge cuts to UK capital spending on things like roads.
The motorway system wasn't designed for now.
And Brexit will shunt money relentlessly to the rich. There won't be much new money for motorways.
The only point of NI is if there is a financial advantage to being British. Innit. What is the Ulster Scots for trína chéile?
And the same with the railways.
All this talk of equality, fair employment, infrastructure, jobs, 50/50 police force etc is all bollix. It's all a facade. The underlying agenda in the North is still anti-catholic, and always will be.
That's bullshit in fairness Benny. Government here is a joint enterprise between SF & DUP
ok arthur, complete nonsense!
What part of your life are you suffering from the orange state ?