Infrastructure

[AZOffaly]

In fairness the road network has improved greatly in the past 20 years. It's one of the good things that the EU has helped us with Dublin to Dundalk, Galway to Dublin, Galway to Limerick, Limerick to Cork(ish), Limerick to Dublin, Cork to Dublin, and even bypasses of places like Nenagh, Castleisland and Tullamore. I'd say the North West of the Country has been neglected alright, but the roads in the rest of the country are 100 times better than they were.

[Walter Cronc]

Please, please, can we build high-quality Dual Carriageways or Motorways between the major population centers in Ireland.
Everything has to start with the road network.

Why have we not had the foresight to acquire additional land adjacent to our motorway upgrades for a rail network. Surely in doing so it also minimises the environmental impact throughout the countryside.

*Thinking the north here*

[The Subbie]

http://www.rte.ie/news/business/2016/0407/780101-new-dublin-runway/

Perhaps a sign that things are on the up?

Started this thread to discuss all things infrastructure - road, rail, sustainability etc.

Hoping there are a few fellow geeks out there with an interest in this and not just myself

Not a geek as such but having worked on two major projects at Dublin Airport I'm gonna throw it out here now, the DAA will make a f**k of it.
A more clumsy,inept, immature client than I have ever encountered.
At some stage someone is going to have to realise that a rail connection to Dublin airport is more important to its strategic development than another runway that's been built to increase footfall in T2.

DAA are probably no worse than the other bodies and while they can build the runway, they cannot build the transport links.

The airport was/is to be connected by Metro North, however this plan was allowed lapse and will now be redesigned again, and will not be built until long after this runway. Likewise the vital DART Underground scheme has been allowed lapse and will have to go back to the drawing board. Now I know some of these project may have had to be delayed in the recession, but the design work should have continued so that they could have been launched immediately when funds allowed. The government can issue 100 year bonds at 2%, get on with it.

But nobody cares about the long term, they just want free water today.

Time for bed here in Sydney but I'll be quick.

Not sure about the water thing, it wasn't mentioned earlier but if we're gonna talk infrastructure it's a topic worth discussing.
You are bang on about future proofing at Dublin airport, it's not thought of at all. The new runway is purely about foot fall and increasing it.
10 years ago there was a lot of money spent on CDR (concept design report ) and initial design for metro and also Dart. 10 f**king years ago, think about it, totally wasted money.
The fiasco will continue for another 10 years and there still won't be a rail link there.
Anyway time for the cot, I've a railway to build in Sydney here in the morning !
Night all !!!

[blewuporstuffed]

Is it just me that thinks it's strange/unsustainable to upgrade an airport without improving the (other) transport links to and from the airport in question?

Good point BB. Is there a planned Luas from Dublin city centre to the airport? Crazy to think the Dublin - Belfast enterprise doesnt have a stop at the airport also. I think I read somewhere that a 'spur' of this line is planned but that may involve passengers getting on another line which is pointless.

Our transport Links to the airports in Ireland are shocking. none of the 3 main airports (dublin, belfast city, belfast international) have a rail link to them.

Belfast International has a fully functional railway yards from the terminal. Powers that be seem to prefer buses on the roads though so it's a non starter.

Exactly, I can t understand that at all. Both the city and international would be relatively easy to connect to the rail network i would have thought.

[Walter Cronc]

Is it just me that thinks it's strange/unsustainable to upgrade an airport without improving the (other) transport links to and from the airport in question?

Good point BB. Is there a planned Luas from Dublin city centre to the airport? Crazy to think the Dublin - Belfast enterprise doesnt have a stop at the airport also. I think I read somewhere that a 'spur' of this line is planned but that may involve passengers getting on another line which is pointless.

Our transport Links to the airports in Ireland are shocking. none of the 3 main airports (dublin, belfast city, belfast international) have a rail link to them.

Belfast International has a fully functional railway yards from the terminal. Powers that be seem to prefer buses on the roads though so it's a non starter.

Exactly, I can t understand that at all. Both the city and international would be relatively easy to connect to the rail network i would have thought.

Is the Sydenham stop not the other side of the bypass. Jeez at worst you could have a tunnel connecting the City airport to the rail link?

[Walter Cronc]

Its hard to believe but Toronto only very recently introduced a rail link to Pearson airport and its a much bigger city than Dublin. It also has serious issues with poor infrastructure and congestion!

[armaghniac]

DAA may not be the best, but at least they've retained the land required for this runway, compared that with the likes of the M50 or the railway from Howth Junction where they've allowed houses be built close to it, preventing widening.

How would Toronto be if the 401, originally built as 2x2 didn't have space to expand to its present 4x5x5x4!

[Dinny Breen]

I'd have thought Iarnroid Eireann would be going mad for this. It would have to be a money maker. Imagine the handiness of being able to hop on a train in Tralee, and get off at Dublin Airport. (Of course that means a Luas to Connolly, but it's better than nothing!

Are they not upgrading the tunnel under the Phoenix Park to connect Huston and Connolly?

[OgraAnDun]

Apologies to any Lurgan posters but is it not time to run the Belfast - Dublin line via Newry, especially with the continual closures on the line. It's something like 2.5 hours from Dublin to Belfast. Jesus you can get from London to Manchester in 1.30 minutes!

Every single Dublin - Belfast train stops in Newry.

[Walter Cronc]

Apologies to any Lurgan posters but is it not time to run the Belfast - Dublin line via Newry, especially with the continual closures on the line. It's something like 2.5 hours from Dublin to Belfast. Jesus you can get from London to Manchester in 1.30 minutes!

Every single Dublin - Belfast train stops in Newry.

I mean cut out Lurgan and just go via Newry. Maybe I'm wrong but I thought it went to Lurgan before Newry?

[OgraAnDun]

Apologies to any Lurgan posters but is it not time to run the Belfast - Dublin line via Newry, especially with the continual closures on the line. It's something like 2.5 hours from Dublin to Belfast. Jesus you can get from London to Manchester in 1.30 minutes!

Every single Dublin - Belfast train stops in Newry.

I mean cut out Lurgan and just go via Newry. Maybe I'm wrong but I thought it went to Lurgan before Newry?

Yeah it does, and always at least one of Lisburn and Portadown too. Time for a high speed line that goes Belfast - Newry - Dublin. The rest of the towns currently on the route are served by IE Commuter trains or Translink commuters. I get the train twice a week and it's always packed, the demand is there, but it will never happen. At the very least a more frequent service should be implemented, one train every two hours is mad. The timetabling needs to be looked at also - the early evening trains leaving Dublin are at 5:50 and 7:00, meaning anyone working in Dublin needs to either get out early or wait around for two hours to get the train. Likewise in the morning, you get in very early or late to Dublin.

[general_lee]

Apologies to any Lurgan posters but is it not time to run the Belfast - Dublin line via Newry, especially with the continual closures on the line. It's something like 2.5 hours from Dublin to Belfast. Jesus you can get from London to Manchester in 1.30 minutes!

Every single Dublin - Belfast train stops in Newry.

I mean cut out Lurgan and just go via Newry. Maybe I'm wrong but I thought it went to Lurgan before Newry?

It goes Lisburn Moira Lurgan Portadown Newry stopping at Portadown and Newry. The reason it takes 2.5 hours is need for upgrades with signalling, standard of track and the fact Portadown - Belfast is a main commuter route. I think the government would do anything in its power to prevent an extra inch of track being laid. Not until they have the current network fit for purpose which let's face it is decades away

[Billys Boots]

I'd have thought Iarnroid Eireann would be going mad for this. It would have to be a money maker. Imagine the handiness of being able to hop on a train in Tralee, and get off at Dublin Airport. (Of course that means a Luas to Connolly, but it's better than nothing!

Are they not upgrading the tunnel under the Phoenix Park to connect Huston and Connolly?

They were supposed to, but I've heard nothing about it in a long time.

[OgraAnDun]

I'd have thought Iarnroid Eireann would be going mad for this. It would have to be a money maker. Imagine the handiness of being able to hop on a train in Tralee, and get off at Dublin Airport. (Of course that means a Luas to Connolly, but it's better than nothing!

Are they not upgrading the tunnel under the Phoenix Park to connect Huston and Connolly?

They were supposed to, but I've heard nothing about it in a long time.

Work started or was approved again or some similar such development in the last few months as far as I remember.

[mikehunt]

http://www.rte.ie/news/business/2016/0407/780101-new-dublin-runway/

Perhaps a sign that things are on the up?

Started this thread to discuss all things infrastructure - road, rail, sustainability etc.

Hoping there are a few fellow geeks out there with an interest in this and not just myself

Not a geek as such but having worked on two major projects at Dublin Airport I'm gonna throw it out here now, the DAA will make a f**k of it.
A more clumsy,inept, immature client than I have ever encountered.
At some stage someone is going to have to realise that a rail connection to Dublin airport is more important to its strategic development than another runway that's been built to increase footfall in T2.

This is Ireland where state/semi state are filled with unqualified incompetent clowns who's primary purpose is to waste tax-payers money.