Cyclist.ie has had an intensely busy and fruitful period of campaigning over the last two years. In the text below, we list many of our highlights and main achievements in 2019 and 2020. It is broadly divided into Campaigns, Submissions, Presentations, International Advocacy Work and Organisational Developments. 

It is certainly not exhaustive, but will give a good sense of our core campaigning work. In summary though, our advocacy work has had a significant impact on national policy, on funding for cycling, and in supporting cycle campaigning at a local level which, in turn, is helping to shape the approaches of Local Authorities and communities in nurturing cycling. We look forward to an even more fruitful year in 2021!

2019 Highlights / Main Achievements

• Major Campaigns
  • #allocate4cycling campaign organised with the aim of prioritising investment in cycling. As part of this, many PQs (Parliamentary Questions) posed to TDs so as to help disentangle figures around the actual annual spend on cycling
    

• #Health Action Campaign run jointly with Health Bodies seeking concrete measures to facilitate active travel to form an integral part of the Climate Action Plan. https://cyclist.ie/2019/04/health-bodies-call-for-active-travel-in-climate-action-plan/ 
  • Supporting the #ibikeivote social media campaign to encourage those registered to vote in the local and European elections to get on their bikes and vote – and opt for candidates serious about active travel. 
  • Supporting the campaign (led by Cyclist.ie member group Stayin’ Alive at 1.5) to have a new regulation introduced on the dangerous overtaking of cyclists (finally announced on 11th November 2019 by Shane Ross, Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport). https://cyclist.ie/2019/11/dangerous-overtaking-of-cyclists-legislation/ 
• 40 submissions drafted and delivered to government departments, agencies and local authorities on a wide variety of topics – for example:
  • to the Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport on ‘Personal Powered Transport’ (i.e. ‘micro-mobility modes’ which include ‘e-scooters’) https://cyclist.ie/2019/11/cyclist-ie-response-on-dttas-consultation-on-personal-powered-transport-ppt/ 
  • and to the Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action. https://cyclist.ie/2019/01/submission-to-joint-oireachtas-committee-on-climate-action/ 
  • Pre-Budget (2020) Submission https://cyclist.ie/2019/08/cyclist-ie-pre-budget-submission-2020/ 
• Presentations to / meeting with: 
  • Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport – along with Dublin Cycling Campaign and I Bike Dublin – essentially to make the case for investing in cycling. https://cyclist.ie/2019/12/cycling-campaigners-at-the-oireachtas-transport-committee/

• Officials from the Road Safety Authority, An Garda Síochána, the National Transport Authority, and three separate sections of the Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport (Sustainable Transport, Road Safety and Tourism)
• International
  • Engaging through the European Cyclists’ Federation on EU level processes related to mobility and road safety. https://ecf.com/ 
  • Participation in a (3 year long) Erasmus+ project on Sustainable Mobility along with partners from Spain, Denmark and Lithuania –  https://cyclist.ie/2019/04/cyclist-ie-in-erasmus-at-corella/.

• Participation of representatives from many of our member groups in the international Velo-city Cycling Planning Conference in Dublin https://www.dublincycling.com/vc19/dublin-cycling-campaign-and-friends-were-speaking-velo-city-dublin-2019 
  

• Organisational Achievements / work
  • Growth of the Cyclist.ie network to encompass 20 member groups
    • Including the new group of Carlow Cycling Campaign – https://cyclist.ie/2019/11/carlow-cycling-campaign-a-brand-new-cycling-advocacy-group/ 
  • Fundraising successes for the National Cycling Coordinator position 
  • Building stronger alliances with An Taisce and Cycling Ireland, and advancing campaigns collectively through our membership of the Stop Climate Chaos coalition
  • Hosting of two Council meetings for our members and eight Executive Committee meetings in 2019
    
    

2020 Highlights / Main Achievements (as of 01 Dec 2020)

• Major Campaigns
  • General Election 2020 and cycling
    • To put cycling on the agenda https://cyclist.ie/2020/10/cyclist-ie-10-asks-budget-2021/ 
    • To assess political parties’ manifestos https://cyclist.ie/2020/02/party-rankings-on-cycling-policies/  
    • To get cycling prioritised in the Programme for Government which we succeeded with, crucially in regard to funding. The PfG now includes the following text:
      
      “The Government will commit to an allocation of 10% of the total transport capital budget for cycling projects and an allocation of 10% of the total capital budget for pedestrian infrastructure. The Government’s commitment to cycling and pedestrian projects will be set at 20% of the 2020 capital budget (€360 million) per year for the lifetime of the Government.”
      (page 13 of https://drive.google.com/file/d/12TNmlz1a4B56dI31zyixzRT493Cv7sgl/view) 

• To change our streets in the context of the Covid-19 pandemic https://cyclist.ie/2020/04/coronavirus-change-our-streets-make-safer-streets-for-all/ 
  • Get to School on Your Own Fuel (Aug / Sept)
    • https://cyclist.ie/2020/08/get-to-school-on-your-own-fuel/ 
    • https://cyclist.ie/2020/09/get-to-school-media-coverage/
      
      

• On the development of a Vision for Cycling in Rural Ireland https://cyclist.ie/2020/11/a-vision-for-cycling-in-rural-ireland/, which was officially launched by Malcolm Noonan, Minister of State at the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage, on 23 Sept 2020.   
  • Bus Connects Projects in Dublin & Galway. Linking in both groups to engage with Designers.  16 routes in Dublin and two in Galway. 
  • Limerick Shannon Metropolitan Area Transport Strategy
    • Working with Limerick Campaign to highlight the lack of vision and other inadequacies with the strategy. https://cyclist.ie/2020/10/lsmats-submission/ 
• 30+ submissions drafted and delivered to government departments, agencies and local authorities on a wide variety of topics – for example on:
  • The Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport’s Sustainable Mobility Plan – https://cyclist.ie/2020/03/cyclist-ie-submissions-on-new-sustainable-mobility-policy/ 
  • Pre-Budget Submission 2021 – https://cyclist.ie/2020/09/pre-budget-2021-submission/ 
  • The RSA’s new Road Safety Strategy 2021-30 https://cyclist.ie/2020/11/rsa-road-safety-strategy-2021-2030-submission/
• Meetings with Government Departments and Agencies. 
  • These continued online during Covid, including in particular:
    • Meeting with Minister for Transport, Eamon Ryan, and staff/adviser
    • Meeting with RSA’s new CEO, Sam Waide
    • Meeting with NTA (Michael Ahearne)
• International 
  • Engaging through the European Cyclists’ Federation on EU level processes related to mobility and road safety. https://ecf.com/. 
    • One of the major successful campaigns in 2020 related to the carriage of bikes on trains – see https://ecf.com/news-and-events/news/breakthrough-all-new-and-refurbished-trains-eu-offer-dedicated-spaces-four 
      
      
      
      
• Organisational Achievements / Developments
  • Growth of the Cyclist.ie network to encompass to 26 Groups https://cyclist.ie/map/
    • Including the very active new group of Navan Cycling Initiative https://cyclist.ie/2020/06/navan-cycling-initiative-a-brand-new-campaign-group/ 
• And a revival / re-energising of the Waterford Cycling Campaign / Bicycle User Group https://cyclist.ie/2020/11/latest-news-waterford-bug/ 
  • Fundraising for the National Cycling Coordinator position, including:
    • https://cyclist.ie/2020/10/rethink-ireland-fund-success-for-cyclist-ie/ 

• https://cyclist.ie/2020/10/an-taisce-cyclist-ie-ncc-fund/ 
  • Building stronger alliances with An Taisce and Cycling Ireland, and advancing campaigns collectively through our membership of the Stop Climate Chaos coalition

• Development of a new 5 year strategy for Cyclist.ie supported by professional input and facilitation by Sandra Velthuis from Whitebarn Consulting. Strategy to be adopted on 12 Dec 2020. 
  • Hosting of two Council meetings for our members (plus an additional two special Council meetings regarding our new strategic plan) and eight Executive Committee meetings in 2020.

(This post previously appeared on the Maynooth Cycling Campaign website)

Kildare County Council recently carried out Covid-19 works in Kildare Town. Part of the works included the reallocation of space in the town square from car parking to tables and benches for people to sit and relax. The change in the environment from a place dominated by cars to a place for people to linger is striking and has deservedly been warmly welcomed.

However, the same cannot be said of the second works in the town on Cleamore Road (Academy Street). Cleamore Road is approximately 250m long and contains a school, community building, shops, factory unit and private houses. Its cross section varies from 7.5m at the lower section, 8-9m in the middle section and increases to 15m at the upper end. Traffic has been restricted to one direction and footpaths have been widened to give more room for social distancing.  The photographs below show the result of the works.

Cyclists from the north west of the town have to take a circuitous diversionary route via Grey Abbey Road to access the school as no contraflow cycle track has been provided. Rather than providing a School Street or School Zone to enable children to safely cycle to school, the work is more likely to encourage cycling on the footpath than to encourage more cyclists.

The works have been heavily criticised by cycle campaigners for its failure to properly provide for cycling. Covid funding was intended to provide for increased walking and cycling, not walking OR cycling. Over 1000 children attend the adjacent St Brigid’s School but according to the 2016 Census, only 7 children cycled to primary school. As can be seen from the photograph, cyclists are expected to share the road with cars.  Few parents allow young children to share the roads with cars anywhere, so why does the Council expect them to do so in Kildare Town?

Kildare County Council made a short video of the works which can be seen here. A council engineer describes how the works allowed the footpath on one side  to be widened a minimum of 3m and on the other side to nearly as much. While this is true of the lower section, it is patently untrue in relation to the middle section. As can be seen from the photograph, there is room for parking on both sides of the road and a footpath on just one side ( and also hatching for vehicles) but there is no room for a dedicated cycle path. To crown matters, parking on the west side is perpendicular to the road – just what is needed for reversing cars to deter any cyclists with doubts about cycling safety. Further along the road, there are road markings which indicate “Private Parking” in front of the factory unit so the Council acquiesces in the decision to allocate public space to parking for a private company. The Design Manual for Urban Roads and Streets sets out a road user hierarchy with pedestrians at the top, followed by cyclists and with drivers of private cars at the bottom. The design for Cleamore Road ignores this but councils get away with such decisions as they are judge and jury on the matter.

In Ireland, cycling has flatlined nationally for the last twenty years. Unless Kildare County Council starts to provide high quality cycle infrastructure,  it won’t change in Kildare for the next twenty. In the July Stimulus,  Kildare only received half the allocation of similar commuting counties such as Meath and Wicklow. If the council continues to ignore the needs of cyclists with designs such as Cleamore Street and even worse recent examples in other Municipal Districts, Kildare will be lucky to get half in the future.

Cyclist.ie is delighted to have been invited to speak at the ‘TEDxRethinkIreland presents Countdown’ event this Monday 12th October at 2.30pm.

Countdown is a global initiative to champion and accelerate solutions to the climate crisis, turning ideas into action. It is a year-long focus on climate change led by TED and a coalition of leaders, activists, scientists, and businesses around the world, leading to COP 26 in October 2021. The goal is to build a better future by cutting greenhouse gas emissions in half by 2030 in the race to a zero-carbon world – a world that is safer, cleaner, and fairer for everyone.

Cyclist.ie will be represented at the TEDx event by Dr. Damien Ó Tuama, National Cycling Coordinator with Cyclist.ie and An Taisce. In his talk, Damien will set out Cyclist.ie’s vision for a low carbon mobility system in which active travel is a core component.

You can register for the event via Event Brite here. 

During the event itself you will also hear from:

Deirdre Mortell, CEO and Founder of Rethink Ireland 
Deirdre has been the CEO of ONE Foundation and held senior roles in fundraising & communications in Oxfam and Barnardos.

ECO–UNESCO Ireland’s Environmental Education & Youth Organisation that works to conserve the environment and empower young people.

Burrenbeo Trust a charity dedicated to reconnecting us with our landscape and our role in caring for it.

Green Sod Ireland a land and biodiversity trust with gifted Wild Acres in its care – creating safe habitats, facilitating the free movement of wildlife vital for biodiversity all over Ireland.

It is almost eight months since General Election 2020 (Saturday 8^th February – although it feels like several years ago) and since Cyclist.ie published its “#GE2020 10 Asks to Make Cycling Better & Safer for All” as shown in the graphic below. 

And it is coming up to four months since the final Programme for Government was published (mid-June 2020). 

Last week Cyclist.ie delivered its Pre-budget 2021 Submission to the Minister for Finance, so over the coming fortnight we will be monitoring very carefully how our “10 Asks to Make Cycling Better & Safer for All” will have shaped Budget 2021 (taking place on Tue 13th October). 

As we learn to live with Covid-19 and begin to recast our visions for transport, housing and energy in response to the urgent need to decarbonise our lives, there is no better time to transform our mobility systems and to invest in high quality cycling infrastructure countrywide. Keep in touch with us over the coming weeks as – we hope – a new picture for the future of transport in Ireland begins to emerge.

Cyclist.ie is delighted to announce that we are one of the successful applicants in the first phase of Rethink Ireland’s Innovate Together Fund. This follows the formal announcement by Rethink Ireland last week  – particularly exciting news to receive during National Bike Week, probably our busiest week of the year!  

A total of 51 projects are being funded in the first phase of Rethink Ireland’s Innovate Together Fund, following applications for grants by 481 projects. The fund is all about supporting innovative responses to the pandemic, and Cyclist.ie sees cycling and active travel as very much part of an appropriate societal response to the situation in which we find ourselves. The Innovate Together Fund is supported by the Department of Rural and Community Development via the Dormant Accounts Fund.

The focus on cycling through the Change Our Streets campaign aligns with a Europe-wide trend of reallocating road space to pedestrians and cyclists, reducing speed limits, and introducing other interventions such as ‘filtered permeability’ schemes – all with the aim of changing the conditions to enable more people to choose to cycle. This trend has been reported widely in the international press – see for example the Guardian’s articles (from May 2020) on How coronavirus will transform transport in Britain’s cities and Covid-19 prompts world’s cities to free public space of cars – and in the domestic media such as the Irish Times’ editorial of 27 July 2020 which argued that the “pandemic has strengthened the case for getting more commuters cycling and walking” – see the Irish Times view on cycling infrastructure: a tipping point. As recently as today, the 2nd of October 2020, the BBC reported on ‘Coronavirus: How pandemic sparked European cycling revolution’. All of these developments are now being systematically tracked by the European Cyclists’ Federation (ECF), of which Cyclist.ie is the member for Ireland, with its Covid Measures Tracker.  

The project builds on some fine campaigning work in which Galway Cycling Campaign, the Irish Pedestrian Network and Cyclist.ie focused on speeding and the need for  safe, usable space  across the country, for people to shop, exercise and commute by active travel means during the crisis. This initiative was supported by The Irish Heart Foundation, the Irish Cancer Society and the Association for Health Promotion Ireland – see the Irish Heart Foundation joins call for safer streets. The project also builds on the work of Better Ennis with, for example, their open letter to  the local Council requesting healthier streets during the pandemic. Huge credit is due to campaigners across the country advancing this advocacy work as it has raised the profile of the issues and of the need for Local Authorities (LAs) to engage more fully on public health matters.  

The essence of this Rethink Ireland funded project is around strengthening the capacity of Cyclist.ie as an effective non-governmental organisation (NGO) to create further change. This means:

–          Building up our knowledge base at local, national and international levels on what is happening to enable cycling during the pandemic (e.g. by drawing on the ECF Covid Tracker tool referred to above)

–          Engaging constructively with LAs countrywide (e.g. through the Transportation or Infrastructure Strategic Policy Committees (SPCs) on which some local Cyclist.ie member groups are represented – and through further direct contacts with officials)

–          Building wider support and alliances for Cyclist.ie’s advocacy work – with businesses, health bodies and other NGOs. On this, Cyclist.ie draws great inspiration from Dropbox’s support for cycling advocacy through its endorsement of the work of Dublin Cycling Campaign (a member group of Cyclist.ie) – see Campaigning Moves up a Gear with the Support of Dropbox 

–          Engaging with the new Minister for Transport on cycling.

In short, the project is all about building on what Cyclist.ie has been working on since its foundation in 2008, but with the heightened urgency that Covid has prompted. As set out in our funding application in May, the success with Rethink Ireland’s Innovate Together Fund enables Cyclist.ie’s National Cycling Coordinator, Dr. Damien Ó Tuama, to transition from a part-time role towards a full-time position in cycling advocacy. This, in turn, will help to nurture the further growth of effective cycle campaigning countrywide – see the map showing the growing array of cycling advocacy bodies all around Ireland (currently being updated to include new members). Ultimately, this project will support the emergence of strong cycling cultures at local community levels nationwide during and beyond the pandemic.  

Once again, Cyclist.ie wishes to sincerely thank Rethink Ireland and the funders of the Innovate Together Fund. We also wish to acknowledge the Cyclist.ie Executive Committee for their input on the funding proposal back in May 2020. We see this funding success as a further stepping stone in strengthening cycling advocacy in Ireland.

Finally, we wish to note here that Cyclist.ie continues to appreciate its strategic partnerships with An Taisce and with Cycling Ireland. These partnerships help to cement cycling advocacy within broader movements around creating a more sustainable system and a healthier population in Ireland.  

Cyclist.ie delivered our Pre-Budget 2021 Submission to the Department of Finance earlier today. You can read it immediately below. A PDF version can also be found here. A big thanks to our hard-working Executive Committee and wider team for preparing the submission.

Make the Programme for Government a Reality!
Ensure 10% of Transport Capital Funding is Allocated to Creating High Quality Conditions for Cycling Countrywide

1 – Introduction 

Cyclist.ie, the Irish Cycling Advocacy Network, is the umbrella body of cycling advocacy groups in Ireland (http://cyclist.ie/) and the member for Ireland of the European Cyclists’ Federation (https://ecf.com/). Our vision is that cycling, as a mode of transport, becomes a normal part of everyday life for all ages and abilities in Ireland. 

As recognised in the new Programme for Government (PfG), cycling as a mode of transport offers numerous well documented benefits to society, including:

• improved public health (especially important in this Covid period)
• reduced congestion 
• reduced greenhouse gas emissions     
• reduced air and noise pollution 
• increased mobility (again, especially important in this Covid period when numbers that can safely use public transport are greatly reduced)
• more liveable and sociable streets and communities
• high rates of economic return on investment 

Unlocking these benefits requires targeted and sustained investment, and international evidence demonstrates that investing in cycling provides excellent value for money. 

Cyclist.ie needs to see the promises made in the Programme for Government (PfG) become reality, with clear timelines instituted so as to ensure that the various commitments made are followed through. 

We outline our budget recommendations below under the following four headings

• Taxation and Fiscal Policy directions to create modal-shift
• Institutional Changes (with a Budgetary Dimension)
• Interventions to ensure all cycling infrastructure, both urban and rural, meets the highest standards 
• Legislative Changes and Promotion of Cycling
  

Cycling delivers multiple benefits to society and it is essential that good habits are developed at the school-going age. Photo by Anna Groniecka at the ‘Back to School on Your Own Fuel’ campaign

2 – Taxation and Fiscal Policy directions to create modal-shift

• 10% of the transport capital expenditure annual budget on cycling projects / €360M per annum – as per the PfG. This is essential, and once achieved it must be maintained year-on-year. Allocations for cycling development to be accounted for separately from other sustainable transport measures.
• Increasing duty on diesel over four years to match petrol so as to improve air quality. Duty levels on fuels to be reviewed year on year.
• Road-pricing policies in major cities to be researched immediately, with a view to implementation by 2022.
• Parking levies legislation to be introduced with a view to encouraging greater sustainable transport use, and curbing car use. 
• All Fixed Charge Penalty Offence (FCPO) fines, impacting on Vulnerable Road User Safety, to be markedly increased, to support more efficient use of road space.  
• Subsidies for e-bikes to be increased, similar to e-cars. SEAI grants for e-bikes especially e-cargo bikes, need to be part of the Grants Package. 
• VAT reduction on bikes and bike repairs, to encourage greater sales and usage. 
• Mileage / km allowances for cycling, to encourage greater use of commuting by bike, similar to Belgium 
• Fleets of bikes for state and semi-state employees to use instead of cars for some work journeys
• Provision of covered secure bike parking for all major transport hubs / interchanges, shopping and service centres, and in particular in schools and colleges.
• Transport Stimulus Fund for ‘quick wins’ for each local authority, every year, to drive modal shift. I.e. schemes which can be advanced quickly without the need for planning approval. 
• Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport, NTA, RSA and TII officials to do study tours to NL, DK and UK (for example) and systematically disseminate the knowledge gained widely within the Irish public / civil service. 
• Provide support for bike mechanic training programmes.
• Expansion of bike to work scheme (recent changes welcome) to be more inclusive with focus on low earners, students, and unwaged. 
• Funds to enable the retrofitting of train carriages for increased carriage of bicycles, and the future purchase of appropriate carriages to meet EU bike carrying capacity requirements. 

3 – Institutional Changes (with a Budgetary Dimension)

National Level Departments / Agencies

• Create and resource appropriately within the Department of Transport, a National Cycling Coordination Office headed at senior level. This would be primarily focused on ensuring coordination on policy, standards, and expenditure across government departments. 
• Establish a major new National Cycling Authority, possibly within the existing NTA, to manage  Local / Regional cycle design offices, as sub-units of the NTA – so that there is proper oversight on the planning and the quality of all cycling schemes in ALL local authorities 
• Address the need for the standardisation of planning processes, consultations, and transparency across all local authorities. All planning proposals should be searchable and viewable online, and the processes open and transparent. Parity of esteem and parity of information is required between active travel and road schemes. 

Local Authorities

• Require every Local Authority to commission and oversee the implementation of a high quality cycling policy and strategy. This would encompass the three main strands of
  (i) ‘policy planning (structure for continuous dialogue with users, target setting, resources, training, adopted policy doc),
  (ii) ‘actions’ (infrastructure, including the development of ambitious strategic cycle network plans, promotion / soft measures, staffing resources)
  (iii) monitoring / evaluation of policy and . 
• Require the appointment of Cycling Officers at Director of Services level in all Local Authorities, with a remit: 
  • To produce and oversee the implementation of the above high quality cycling policy
  • To set targets and effect modal change at local level
  • To ensure adequate staffing resources for active travel development in line with PfG, and to oversee any required re-allocation of staff internally.
  • To set up a Local Authority Active Travel Forum (this could be sub-committee of the Transport Strategic Policy Committee) where stakeholder views are adequately represented.
•  Develop a clear policy for Cycling in Rural Ireland. See: https://cyclist.ie/ruralvision/. Cycling needs to be a countrywide issue, not just an issue for major urban centres. The opportunities are there and these can also support local economic and social development. 

Ensure updated and realistic comparative assessment of all projects by reviewing the Government’s Common Appraisal Framework(CAF), and Strategic Investment Framework for Land Transport(SFILT), etc

• Update the Common Appraisal Framework (CAF) so that investments in schemes which promote healthier and low carbon travel are properly recognised for their broad societal benefits. The WHO ‘HEAT’ tool needs to be fully embedded into the CAF.  
• Review the Strategic Investment Framework for Land Transport (SFILT)  to reflect the declaration of a health emergency by the WHO, and the declaration of a climate emergency by the Dáil, necessitating the decarbonisation of the transport system. 

4 – Interventions to Improve the Quality of Cycling Infrastructure

The commitment in the PfG to fund cycling is quite explicit. The focus now needs to be on how to deliver high quality routes which will enable people of all ages and abilities (the “8 to 80 cohort”) to make the choice to switch to active travel.

• Prioritise as a matter of urgency a review of design standards
  • to ensure design and construction of safe high quality routes in line with best international practice
  • to ensure design consistency across agencies, institutions, and local authorities
• The main standards / guidelines for review are:
  • National Cycle Manual
  • Rural Cycleway Standards
  • Design Manual for Urban Roads & Streets (DMURS)

These should all dovetail with each other

• Establish Local / Regional Cycle Design Offices – sub-units of the NTA – so that there is proper oversight of the quality of all cycling schemes in all local authorities (as opposed to just some schemes in some LA areas as is the current situation). Consultancy staff will need to be deployed as appropriate. This will ensure available expertise for local authorities for quick delivery of high quality projects
• Set up accelerated training programs for local authority staff in sustainable mobility design and implementation. 
• Every Local Authority to develop ambitious strategic cycle network plans for their towns and at a county level. 
• Covid cycling schemes. Ensure that the NTA systematically monitors the quality and use of all ‘quick-to-construct’ schemes with a view to feeding this knowledge into design standards and further plans by Local Authorities. 
• Currently cycling schemes are designed by a range of bodies – the NTA, TII, by local authorities or by consultants working for any of the above, hence the need for improved coordination and consistency of design.
  Funding should not be provided for low quality schemes that do not meet the required design standards.

5 – Legislative Changes and Promotion of Cycling

• Resource and expedite Legislative Changes to prioritise active travel measures within an agreed time-frame. This is critical to support the growth of active travel.   
  • Note that in the 2009 National Cycle Policy Framework (NCPF), the following commitment was made: “carry out a review of Irish road traffic legislation to change the balance in favour of the more sustainable modes such as walking and cycling.” (Policy 15.1, page 41 – http://www.smartertravel.ie/content/national-cycle-policy). It is this broader review which is still required.  Very little has advanced since the launch of the NCPF. 
  • For examples of regulatory initiatives which support cycling, check out http://content.tfl.gov.uk/international-cycling-infrastructure-best-practice-study.pdf for reference. This is critical in helping to support growth in cycle mode share.
• Introduce legislation so that 30km/h becomes the default speed limit in all built-up areas, and Councils can then introduce exceptions to these limits where it is deemed safe and appropriate. 
• Cycle promotion, especially among marginalised groups. The same sophistication used in car advertising and marketing needs to be applied to sell active travel. 
  • This video example from Dun Laoghaire Rathdown County Council (DLRCC) is an example of what is possible
    

Screen shot from DLRCC’s video on the new Coastal Mobility Route (link above)

• Cycle Training, via the Cycle Right program, needs to be expanded further, with adequate funding to ensure that local authorities can offer cycle training for all levels and ages including on-street training. 
• Provide funding support for Active Travel advocacy so that the wider societal benefits of investing in cycling are understood – and that community support can be nurtured for high quality schemes etc.  
• Include Cyclist.ie as a stakeholder under Section 82 of the Planning and Development Regulations 2001. 
• Support the creation for Ireland of a tool equivalent to the Propensity to Cycle Tool (https://www.pct.bike/) as developed by Rachel Aldred for England & Wales. This would use Census data and would assist local communities in developing higher levels of cycling. 

Colm Ryder,
Chairperson,
Cyclist.ie – the Irish Cycling Advocacy Network
The Tailors’ Hall,
Back Lane,
Dublin, D08 X2A3.

1.0 Introduction

Cyclist.ie is Ireland’s national cycling advocacy network, and the Irish member of the European Cyclists Federation. We are delighted to make this submission to Offaly County Council in relation to the proposed greenway along the Grand Canal from Turraun to Shannon Harbour, on behalf of the thousands of everyday cyclists throughout the country.

This proposed scheme has the general potential to encourage greater levels of walking and cycling locally in the immediate area. The scheme will also be a vital link in the overall Grand Canal Greenway extending from Dublin to the Shannon, and is a key element of the greater Offaly cycling development plan. It will undoubtedly open up commercial opportunities for increased visitor numbers and links to the various attractions in the area, and throughout the county.

We are happy to see local authorities proposing schemes that provide for vulnerable road users such as pedestrians and cyclists, and encourage sustainable travel. Overall we are supportive of this scheme and the basic design quality. We commend Offaly CC for advancing this proposal, but have a number of comments to make, and seek clarification on, in relation to the posted documentation, which we feel is not comprehensive enough, and is of a cursory nature.

2.0 Specific Comments

While overall we respect the desire to implement this design, we are disappointed that there are limited design details or cross sections available in this Part 8 at critical points that make it difficult to assess the final design viability. We would also comments in general on the Part 8 documentation, as follows:

• The layout of the drawings in this published Part 8 is initially confusing and counter intuitive. Despite the description of the route in the Part 8 documentation as from Turraun to Shannon Harbour, the drawing sequence and kilometrage runs in the opposite direction. It is initially very confusing, and difficult to navigate.
• The level of detail on the actual drawings is very poor, and should have been enhanced by insertion of actual images at particular points on the main drawings, as well as specific cross sections, to enable proper assessment of the proposals.
• Not enough detail is supplied at road crossings in relation to the proposed signage. While we assume that Offaly County Council will comply with the necessary signage, it is incumbent on the Council to provide clear details of the proposed signage and safety measures.
• No details are supplied of links through Shannon Harbour and beyond. The canal towpath greenway ends abruptly alongside the canal at Shannon Harbour, with no indication or discussion of access through the village or on to Banagher. This is a deficiency in the Planning Report.
• There is no mention or discussion on any proposed information and route signage or special features, to add to the experience of the Greenway user. This once again is a deficit in the planning report
• Clear drawing details should have been supplied in particular for the under bridge accesses proposed at L’Estrange Bridge, Judges Bridge, and Gallen (Armstrong) Bridge. To literally just state, that ‘Railings and chicanes (will be installed) on greenway on approaches to ….. Bridge’ is not acceptable. Full details and drawings should have been posted.
• The proposed greenway surfacing is either quarry dust or surface dressing throughout. This is not the preferred surface type for the average cyclist. Cyclist.ie wants to see a smooth asphalt type surface for all greenway routes, as this type of surface helps to reduce falls and skids, and enables easier access for prams and wheelchairs. A quarry dust or surface dressing surface does not give a smooth ride, can be a cause of skids and slips, and generally requires a higher level of maintenance.

3.0 Conclusion/Summary

While Cyclist.ie broadly welcomes these proposals to link the existing Grand Canal Greenway to Shannon Harbour, we are disappointed with:

• The Part 8 documentation details of the proposed scheme, as outlined above
• The lack of clarity and detail at specific points along the proposed route, including road signage and under-bridge details
• The development/description of cycle links into Shannon Harbour village and beyond
• The fact that there is no mention of potential route enhancement features to attract users and visitors
• The surfacing proposals as outlined are not of the required cyclists’ standard

We hope our comments will be taken on board, and we are available at any stage to discuss any of the items raised above.

Cyclist.ie, the Irish Cycling Advocacy Network, broadly welcomes the funding provided for Active Travel projects through the Government’s recent Stimulus Plans, but with some reservations. 

It is exciting to see funding being provided for such an array of projects, some of which have the potential to significantly improve the safe movement of pedestrians and people on bicycles.  Projects which seek to provide segregated cycling infrastructure, bicycle parking and cycling priority at junctions clearly demonstrate that coupling vision and leadership means that significant active travel measures can, and now will, be delivered in these locations.

Speaking on behalf of Cyclist,ie, Colm Ryder, Chairperson, said: “we are delighted to see new footpaths, cycleways and bicycle parking being funded through the Stimulus Plans. We are hopeful that these projects will be designed and constructed to the highest standard.”

In contrast to the above positives, we are concerned to see reference to non-standard active travel measures such as “Greyways”.  Greyway is not a recognised term within the cycling design infrastructure, and it apparently refers to proposals to reconstitute road hard shoulders as cycle routes which are clearly unsafe and unattractive. To achieve real and substantive shift to active modes, it is essential that measures taken are designed to established standards. 

Anluan Dunne of Kerry Cycling Campaign continued: “it is worrying that some of the funding is being provided for infrastructure which has no established national standard – such as greyways. For decades we have campaigned for high quality, well designed infrastructure and it would be negligent to waste this opportunity, and these funds, on low quality projects. We call on the local authorities who have applied for funds to construct greyways, to reconsider, and re-allocate the monies to projects which adhere to published design standards and principles”

As a representative group, we are highly supportive of all measures to enhance and establish active travel measures. We now need to see Minister Eamon Ryan initiate an urgent review of design guidance contained in the National Cycling Manual, the Design Manual for Urban Roads and Streets (DMURS), and Transport Infrastructure Ireland’s (TII) guidance on ‘Rural Cycleways’, and ‘Cross sections & Headroom’ documents . This is needed to maximise return on investment for the limited funding available.

Colm Ryder concluded: “it is imperative that the Minister and the Department of Transport ensure that funding provided for projects is targeted at attractive, efficient and safe measures. A cycle network plan should be developed in all local authority areas and municipal districts to inform and guide future project proposals”.

NOTES TO EDITORS

[1] Cyclist.ie, the Irish Cycling Advocacy Network:  Our vision is that cycling is recognised as an everyday transport mode, which can be safely used by people of all ages and abilities.

[2] We can provide high quality photos to go with any articles being produced if/as required. 

SPOKESPERSONS / FURTHER INFORMATION

Dr. Damien Ó Tuama, National Cycling Coordinator with Cyclist.ie and An Taisce – [email protected], Mob: 087-2840799.

Anluan Dunne, Kerry Cycling Campaign, [email protected], Mob: 085-7036888. 

Colm Ryder, Chairperson Cyclist.ie, [email protected]  Mob 087-2376130Neasa Bheilbigh, Galway Cycling Campaign,

[email protected], Mob: 087-9930374. Cuirtear fáilte roimh agallamh trí Ghaeilge.