No Toilets Cork to Dublin

R

roker

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My daughter and wife are like a lot of women and cannot go long periods before going to the ladies (loo)
They cannot get a bus Cork to Dublin or Dublin airport because the buses have no toilets.
The motorway has no toilets (or petrol stations) between Cork and Dublin. This leaves only the railway to travel.
Why is it the buses do not have toilets for long distances? this is what Wayne Rooney was on about.
We did travel up by car a couple of weeks ago, on the motorway there was a sign for food etc. to turn off to Durrow, after leaving the motorway we saw a sign Durrow 8 km. that’s 16 kilometres return to go to the loo or have a snack. Who decided that this sign should go up on the motorway, or not to have services? Great planning
 
This whole scenario in Ireland is a joke. AFAIK all other European countries have service eateries along the motorways. The guys that plan these things should have their winkies tied with a bit of string for a protracted period after a few cups of tea.
 
Another who has found the complete lack of service stations in Ireland baffling.

I do remember some guy on chatting on Matt Cooper one day from a private company who had got a contract to build a certain number of them. Not sure when they will be up and running.

And I'm guessing this being Ireland there won't be enough of them and they will only open from 9am - 5pm !!
 
Seems like a bit of a storm in a teacup (peecup?) to me. It looks like Bus Eireann stop on the way for a loo break (see http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2055188045). And is it really a huge inconvenience to have to pull off the motorway to a local town/petrol station for a leak and/or a coffee.

Have mother and daughter considered adjusting their fluid intake? If they don't drink much fluid on the day of the journey, maybe they won't need to pee.

Those motorway service stations are generally soulless places, with lowest common denominator food. I see one being built on the M1, just a few minutes journey away from Drogheda, Bettystown and Swords - seems like a big waste to me.
 
Complainer said:
Those motorway service stations are generally soulless places, with lowest common denominator food. I see one being built on the M1, just a few minutes journey away from Drogheda, Bettystown and Swords - seems like a big waste to me.
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The location of that one really mystifies me as well.
 
Sunny said:
The location of that one really mystifies me as well.
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Yeah, it does seem odd that it's so close to having departed a major urban area. There's another going in further up near the north.

Complainer, not all small towns with services are signed. As the OP pointed out, Durrow was, but it was a pretty big diversion. If you just want a quick pee, you don't want to have to divert 16K just to do so. If you need fuel, it doesn't tell you if it's 1 Km or 10 Km.

The problem is that I'll travel on them early in the morning to get there early for business. At that time none of the rural towns are open so there is nowhere to stop. I'm sorry, but I'm not entirely sure it's reasonable to stop taking in fluids for 24 hours before hand just to prevent needing a pee.

People don't want them for fine dining, they want a toilet break and perhaps the chance to get a coffee without having to double back half the way.
 
It's an absolute joke that in 160 miles of motorway there is no motorway service station that will provide a rest stop. Only in IRELAND!! There are two tolls just to relieve you of your money though
Crazy having to drive off the motorway, drive to a village and then go to the loo.
 
And theres a shortage of plastic bags as well because of the levy
 
Sunny said:
The location of that one really mystifies me as well.
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+1

I spoke to a former colleague recently who drove from East Cork to Bushmills on one go. They (family of 6) broke their journey in Banbridge, which struck me as not an obvious choice.

Then again, where else ? They were 'picnic'ing.
 
Yes, motorway service stations are souless, but necessary.
From a safety point of view it's important that people can stop & take breaks if needed. Also being able to refuel (I know we can start our journey with a full tank).
Yes there are towns along the way, but if you're not familiar with the route you don't know how far they are from the motorway, what services they have or what time they will be open until.

My theory is that "gombeenism" is to blame. Service stations weren't built because they didn't want to be "taking business away from the local towns".
 
Still sounds like much ado about nothing to me. I do the odd bit of driving round Ireland, and always enjoy breaking my journey. If I'm heading to Mayo, I stop at Percy French Hotel in Strokestown for brekkie and a leak (or two). If I'm heading to Clonmel, I stop at the hotel on the far side of Abbeyleix. I find hotels better for offering some healthy options for breakfast rather than just a stodgy fry.

Maybe if the OP had come on the motoring forum and asked for suggestions about good places to stop on the Dublin/Cork route that aren't too far off the motorway, he might have got some great suggestions from the AAM posters.
 
Complainer said:
Maybe if the OP had come on the motoring forum and asked for suggestions about good places to stop on the Dublin/Cork route that aren't too far off the motorway, he might have got some great suggestions from the AAM posters.
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Surely "Letting off Steam" is entirely appropriate?
 
tiger said:
Yes, motorway service stations are souless, but necessary.
Also being able to refuel (I know we can start our journey with a full tank).
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I think the last of the two petrol stations on the Lower Road in Cork, just after the skew bridge, should put up a big sign...




"Dublin Bound Drivers...

Last chance for fuel before Kildare!!!!!"
 
Applegreen is the private company that are going to operate these motorway service areas.

Having used the English ones, they are godforsaken money pits to be avoided at all costs. I have been in German ones, maybe ten years ago, and they were very pleasant and reasonably priced.

Well, I suppose the English ones have their uses, which is why I find myself in them when in England, but I try my damnedest not to buy anything.

The worst bit is that shops like WH Smith and Marks and Spencer shouldn't have to charge so much. Surely by price gouging it damages their brand.
 
terrontress said:
The worst bit is that shops like WH Smith and Marks and Spencer shouldn't have to charge so much. Surely by price gouging it damages their brand.
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Do they really do this? i.e. charge more at service stations than they do in their regular high street outlets?
 
tiger said:
My theory is that "gombeenism" is to blame. Service stations weren't built because they didn't want to be "taking business away from the local towns".
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Exactly.

And now they are retrospectively building several service stations, at higher cost. Madness.
 
+1 terrontress, I have used the M & S outlets at motorway services in the UK recently and they are expensive. Not just M & S either.

The Applegreen one in Celbridge, off the N4 is not too bad though ( no connection)
 
All Dublin/ Cork buses, Bus Eireann and Aircoach still stop in Urlingford for 20 mins.
 
Limerick to Dublin buses stop in Borris in Ossory

There is a hotel there if you need a break or grab a drink an sandwich, there has a little shop inside.
I'm not sure what you do at night though
 
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