“Anger over ‘appalling’ cabinets named Dublin’s ‘mini-Stonehenge’
Groups of metal cabinets, described by some as appearing like a “mini-Stonehenge” or a “collection of milk cartons” have been springing up across Dublin city along the route of the new Luas Cross City line.
The boxes, which house electrical cabling and other equipment associated with the new tram line due to start operating at the end of this year, are causing consternation among city heritage and environmental groups.
Particular concern has been raised over the collection of cabinets at College Green where Dublin City Council plans to build a €10 million “world class” pedestrian and cycle plaza.
The five cabinets, which vary in height from 2ft to 5ft, have replaced bicycle parking on the southern corner of College Green opposite Trinity College and do not appear in the designs for the new traffic-free civic plaza submitted to An Bord Pleanála last May.
The council said the College Green design team would “explore the feasibility of alternative methods of accommodating/relocating” the utility cabinets.
Necessary
However, a spokeswoman for the Luas Cross City project said all of the cabinets were necessary and could not be relocated or housed underground.
“They are all required, they each have a function, there no empty boxes.”
In addition to electricity supplies and CCTV equipment, the cabinets carry traffic control technology, and the trams’ automatic vehicle locator system.
**“They need to be located very close to the junctions because they interact with the traffic signalling, so they can’t be relocated elsewhere, and they can’t be put underground because contractors need to have access to them, and it’s already very busy underground in the city centre with other conflicting services such as underground gas mains,” she said.**
There were similar cabinets already in use associated with the existing Luas lines, she said, but the new cabinets were more numerous because of the greater number of junctions running through the city centre.
“Our primary focus is making sure we get the passenger services complete. Once we are up and running, maybe we can discuss options for minimising their visual impact.”
The Dublin Civic Trust has described the boxes as “appalling”.
“To have these military ranks of steel boxes on the main arterial historic streets of the city is appalling,” Graham Hickey of the Dublin Civic Trust said.
A design solution had to be found to the problem, he said.
“In the 19th-century, the Victorians used to design decorative solutions to conceal functional items. It’s astonishing that we now have to put up with something like a collection of milk cartons dumped in the street.”
Street clutter
Green Party councillor Ciarán Cuffe said other cities with tram lines did not seem to have the same “street clutter” issues.
“This hodgepodge of different boxes, all different sizes, look awful, there must surely be a better way to do this.”
Mr Cuffe said he had already contacted Transport Infrastructure Ireland about the large “poorly situated” poles which carry the overhead power lines. “I am concerned these issues are not receiving the attention they deserve but hopefully even at this late stage changes can be made.”
Very continental 👌🤌
That’s bleak
One thing which really, *really* irks me about Dublin, which you don’t see too much in other first world cities, is builders digging up the pavement and then just dumping down random, mismatched blotches of tarmac when they’re finished
Even if there was some sort of tile or brickwork- just tarmac blotches
‘Paddyhalfassery’ at it’s finest
Under the tree at spar
God, that’s depressing
Hahahaha, our fabulous cafe culture in action.
This is a small thing but I don’t like how the footpath is left after they’ve dug it up to do works (like in this photo).
This country is just patches of tarmac.
Honestly the laziest shite you’d see
Incredible al fresco dining on College Green, Dublin.
The fucking state of the tarmac let alone their view of electricity boxes
The self service cabinets installed on the footpath are class. The biggest cabinet you can see is actually a bed sit.
Could we make this street any narrower?
There’s ALWAYS a fuckin’ crane in any picture of Dublin. Look at the sneaky fecker in the background.
If you want to show what Dublin is like, this is the picture.
Classy
The country is just an absolute pretend fest.
This is like the David Blaine thing a few years ago when he was suspended in a glass cage and didn’t eat for a month. This is an Irish version, this lad and his mother are doing. Its being sponsored by Spar. They have to survive for a month in there.
Hit ’em with the *That’s Amore*
It’s like a modern art installation
Lame lame lame!! Hubby and I were just in Bordeaux and we walked about the city a the full day. At the end of the day we discussed just how nice it was to enjoy a city that was pedestrianised, where there were no fumes and plenty of feet passing shops, cafes and restaurants. Dublin city has missed the point 🙈
That was my favourite parking spot a few years back
Holy fuck that is grim
“Giz a euro wilya”
Shite as that is, I’ll bet that it’s occupied 99% of the time and finding a space there feels like getting €20 on the lotto.
And they dare say we have no culture
Making good use of the Mediterranurean climate
If you wanted to talk to all the junkies in dublin in a day
30 comments
[Robbed from here](https://mobile.twitter.com/mrwonderfulpls/status/1542085264683794432)
Grim. At least they’re not on top of a bin.
Come for the chicken fillet rolls, but stay for the alluring aroma of Dublin Bus diesel fumes.
Good ol’ College Green Stonehenge, why they couldn’t put the contents of the boxes underground is anyone’s guess.
Edit:
[article here ](https://www.irishtimes.com/news/environment/anger-over-appalling-cabinets-named-dublin-s-mini-stonehenge-1.3173839) – actual reason is, contractors need access, and underground is fierce busy in the city centre apparently…
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“Anger over ‘appalling’ cabinets named Dublin’s ‘mini-Stonehenge’
Groups of metal cabinets, described by some as appearing like a “mini-Stonehenge” or a “collection of milk cartons” have been springing up across Dublin city along the route of the new Luas Cross City line.
The boxes, which house electrical cabling and other equipment associated with the new tram line due to start operating at the end of this year, are causing consternation among city heritage and environmental groups.
Particular concern has been raised over the collection of cabinets at College Green where Dublin City Council plans to build a €10 million “world class” pedestrian and cycle plaza.
The five cabinets, which vary in height from 2ft to 5ft, have replaced bicycle parking on the southern corner of College Green opposite Trinity College and do not appear in the designs for the new traffic-free civic plaza submitted to An Bord Pleanála last May.
The council said the College Green design team would “explore the feasibility of alternative methods of accommodating/relocating” the utility cabinets.
Necessary
However, a spokeswoman for the Luas Cross City project said all of the cabinets were necessary and could not be relocated or housed underground.
“They are all required, they each have a function, there no empty boxes.”
In addition to electricity supplies and CCTV equipment, the cabinets carry traffic control technology, and the trams’ automatic vehicle locator system.
**“They need to be located very close to the junctions because they interact with the traffic signalling, so they can’t be relocated elsewhere, and they can’t be put underground because contractors need to have access to them, and it’s already very busy underground in the city centre with other conflicting services such as underground gas mains,” she said.**
There were similar cabinets already in use associated with the existing Luas lines, she said, but the new cabinets were more numerous because of the greater number of junctions running through the city centre.
“Our primary focus is making sure we get the passenger services complete. Once we are up and running, maybe we can discuss options for minimising their visual impact.”
The Dublin Civic Trust has described the boxes as “appalling”.
“To have these military ranks of steel boxes on the main arterial historic streets of the city is appalling,” Graham Hickey of the Dublin Civic Trust said.
A design solution had to be found to the problem, he said.
“In the 19th-century, the Victorians used to design decorative solutions to conceal functional items. It’s astonishing that we now have to put up with something like a collection of milk cartons dumped in the street.”
Street clutter
Green Party councillor Ciarán Cuffe said other cities with tram lines did not seem to have the same “street clutter” issues.
“This hodgepodge of different boxes, all different sizes, look awful, there must surely be a better way to do this.”
Mr Cuffe said he had already contacted Transport Infrastructure Ireland about the large “poorly situated” poles which carry the overhead power lines. “I am concerned these issues are not receiving the attention they deserve but hopefully even at this late stage changes can be made.”
Very continental 👌🤌
That’s bleak
One thing which really, *really* irks me about Dublin, which you don’t see too much in other first world cities, is builders digging up the pavement and then just dumping down random, mismatched blotches of tarmac when they’re finished
Even if there was some sort of tile or brickwork- just tarmac blotches
‘Paddyhalfassery’ at it’s finest
Under the tree at spar
God, that’s depressing
Hahahaha, our fabulous cafe culture in action.
This is a small thing but I don’t like how the footpath is left after they’ve dug it up to do works (like in this photo).
This country is just patches of tarmac.
Honestly the laziest shite you’d see
Incredible al fresco dining on College Green, Dublin.
The fucking state of the tarmac let alone their view of electricity boxes
The self service cabinets installed on the footpath are class. The biggest cabinet you can see is actually a bed sit.
Could we make this street any narrower?
There’s ALWAYS a fuckin’ crane in any picture of Dublin. Look at the sneaky fecker in the background.
If you want to show what Dublin is like, this is the picture.
Classy
The country is just an absolute pretend fest.
This is like the David Blaine thing a few years ago when he was suspended in a glass cage and didn’t eat for a month. This is an Irish version, this lad and his mother are doing. Its being sponsored by Spar. They have to survive for a month in there.
Hit ’em with the *That’s Amore*
It’s like a modern art installation
Lame lame lame!! Hubby and I were just in Bordeaux and we walked about the city a the full day. At the end of the day we discussed just how nice it was to enjoy a city that was pedestrianised, where there were no fumes and plenty of feet passing shops, cafes and restaurants. Dublin city has missed the point 🙈
That was my favourite parking spot a few years back
Holy fuck that is grim
“Giz a euro wilya”
Shite as that is, I’ll bet that it’s occupied 99% of the time and finding a space there feels like getting €20 on the lotto.
And they dare say we have no culture
Making good use of the Mediterranurean climate
If you wanted to talk to all the junkies in dublin in a day