Cyclist.ie is delighted to have Lime joining as our latest Business / Organisation member.

This membership type for Cyclist.ie is available for those businesses and organisations who support our aims to make the cities, towns, villages and roads of Ireland bicycle-friendly for their employees, customers and their community. 

Lime joins Dropbox and the Irish Heart Foundation (amongst others) who support the advocacy work of Cyclist.ie / Dublin Cycling Campaign as Business / Organisation members. Lime join as a “Gold” category member. 

Lime is the world’s largest shared electric vehicle company. Its mission is “to build a future where transportation is shared, affordable and carbon-free”. See here. 

More information on our Business / Organisation membership scheme at:

https://cyclist.ie/membership/join-cyclist-ie-business/
and
https://www.dublincycling.com/businessmembers

Cyclist.ie and Dublin Cycling Campaign are delighted to be back in the Electric Picnic as it returns to Stradbally, County Laois, after a two year pandemic break. 

We first had our cycling space back in 2009, so this will be our 12th time bringing our bicycle campaigning energies to Electric Picnic.

You can check out some reports on previous EP bicycle spaces here (for 2015) and here (for 2017) for example. 

 If you are heading to EP, do pop over to the fabulous Global Green area and say hello to the cycling network crew. We would love to see you.

At the space, you can find out out how to create a nature-restorative, biodiversity rich greenway, or craft a costume for a bike parade, or just have a relaxed chat!

 

In this piece primary school teacher Dave Tobin and physiotherapist Maeve Howlett outline the immense health, therapeutic and social inclusion benefits of cycling for children with autism. Both have decades of experience and expertise of working with young people with autism in their respective fields.

Children with autism are very often some of the most creative and detail oriented children within the classroom. They are keen observers and are incredibly resilient, accepting and honest. In addition to the huge positives children with autism bring to school and family life, they also have a number of common challenges which may include:

• Difficulty with social interaction
• Delayed or limited communication skills
• Sensory processing difficulties
• Restrictive patterns of behaviour or interests
• Delays and difficulties with motor skills development
• Stereotypical behaviours
• Concentration difficulties

Some of the motor skills problems that children with Autism experience include difficulties with balance, postural stability, joint flexibility and movement speed. The secondary consequence of motor skills difficulties include avoidance of group activities including team sports and therefore decreased opportunity for physical activity and social interaction. We would firmly maintain that our cities and schools must provide support and facilities to allow all children to avail of the right amount of physical activity for optimum health and wellbeing.

Exercise of all kinds increases opportunities for social interaction and improves social motivation and communication for all children but especially for children with autism. It promotes calmness and relaxation while also having clear improvements in physical health. Physical stimulation obtained through body rocking, arm flapping and spinning can decrease with regular daily exercise. As with all school children, physical exertion helps children with autism to complete classroom tasks with increased accuracy. 

Motor Skills and FUNdamental Movement Skills

If we examine motor skills and fundamental movement skills we can very clearly focus on the benefits cycling in particular can bring to children with autism. With many of these children experiencing roadblocks in developing different aspects of their motor skills, the development of physical literacy is a key part of their schooling and life skills development.  hey may need more time and support to learn to cycle but once accomplished their sense of achievement is powerful. The therapeutic and emotional benefits gained are very worthwhile.

The Move Well, Move Often programme (PDST, 2017) has been rolled out in schools in recent years and has a far more skills and assessment focused take on physical literacy than previous physical education programmes. It has been adapted for use by many Special Education Needs (SEN) teachers in Irish primary schools over the past number of years for both individual and group teaching of fundamental movement skills. When looking at these skills it’s important to understand that while they may be given specific instruction during motor skills teaching with children with autism, all of these physical literacy skills are complementary and interconnected. While locomotion and manipulative skills may be easier to teach within a standard school PE hall setting, the stability skills benefit hugely from extra interventions such as horse riding or cycling. 

For many children with autism regulation of sensory inputs can be a particular challenge. They may be overloaded by noisy, busy environments. Proprioceptive (body awareness) and vestibular (balance) sensory senses can often be challenging areas too. This can lead to a more limited ability to explore their environment and, in turn, less opportunity to develop their sensory systems, resilience and relationships with peers. Children with motor difficulties require activities that challenge these systems to help them to improve and develop. They need activities that challenge balance, coordination and motor planning such as cycling to help address these sensory issues. Activities such as these have a hugely calming influence on the sensory systems of children with autism. 

Social Skills Development

Social skills, difficulties with social interactions and making meaningful and lasting connections with peers is a key focus of a lot of school aged interventions. A huge aspect of the teaching of primary school aged children focuses on building and developing these skills. Children with autism have both discrete social skills teaching and social group teaching as part of their school-based interventions. Cycling to school with peers in a group or a cycle bus helps develop a sense of belonging and community with their peers that sits perfectly alongside this. The shared communal routines provide incredible benefits to their levels of social interaction, communication skills and most importantly their self-confidence. 

The importance of cycling to both children’s feelings of belonging and inclusion within a group and their mental health cannot be overstated. This is especially important as children reach adolescence where interests and behaviours develop. A shared hobby such as cycling gives children a sense of belonging and a common interest. It also ensures that the exercise they need to help self-regulate is an enjoyable and communal experience. Having the outlet for their feelings is an especially important part of guiding children with autism through this particular phase of their lives and having a solid peer group such as a cycling group strengthens this resilience.

We know that physical activity rates decrease from childhood to adolescence. Older individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) living in community settings have been observed to live very sedentary lifestyles. If children with ASD do not develop participation skills in active leisure time activities, they will most likely become increasingly sedentary with age placing them at risk of diabetes, heart disease and certain cancers. We must therefore strive to encourage physical activity for these children in our schools and communities.

What can we actually do then to support children with autism to avail of the benefits of cycling?

For these children the interventions we need, while very similar to those of other children, have specific benefits for all children and are cornerstones of good child-centred design.

• Further investment in services for children with autism that allow physiotherapists and occupational therapists to prioritise adapted physical activity including cycling as an intervention.

• Further investment in support for children with autism to avail of in-school bike training

• Safe, segregated routes to all schools with cycle lane width prioritised to the maximum width as outlined within Design Manual for Urban Roads and Streets (DMURS) .

• The development of secondary and connecting cycle network routes that act as quietways (see here for an article on quietways) that reduce sensory overload for children. The importance of the School Streets initiatives cannot be overstated in this regard and should be a key focus for local authorities going forward. There is a huge role for the metropolitan area transport strategies (such as the Limerick Shannon Metropolitan Area Transport Strategy, LSMATS), the National Transport Authority and local authorities in delivering these, and they should be  key recommendations when the draft strategies are being reviewed.

• The installation of an adequate number of safe, covered bike parking on school grounds including space to accommodate trikes and non-standard bike sizes.

• An increase in funding for Green Schools transportation projects to enable these changes. 

Support children with autism to learn to cycle and provide the infrastructure to keep them cycling, and they will gain life-long benefits for their physical and emotional wellbeing.  Of equal importance, they will have increased opportunities for meaningful daily social interactions.

Some additional reading:

• https://www.shs-conferences.org/articles/shsconf/pdf/2018/09/shsconf_erpa2018_01048.pdf
• https://www.welovecycling.com/wide/2019/04/11/how-cycling-helps-children-with-autism/
• https://www.autismparentingmagazine.com/teach-autistic-child-ride-bike/

Earlier today (Friday 15th July 2022), Cyclist.ie made a brief submission in response to the public consultation on the Connemara Greenway. Once again, a big thanks to our volunteers for the help with this. You can read our submission below and check out the public consultations documents / maps here.  

As the Infrastructural Coordinator of Cyclist.ie, the Irish Cycling Advocacy Network, I am delighted to see these route corridor options for the Connemara Greenway being examined. 

We in Cyclist.ie broadly welcome the progress of the proposals. However we are disappointed that, considering the considerable overlap across many of the options, an accompanying explanatory narrative in relation to the choice and comparison of the differing route sections and options, has not been included with the posted material. Cyclist.ie regards this as insufficient information supplied and makes our comments that more difficult.

Having said all of the above, it is critical that:

1  Both Moycullen and Oughterard are directly served and linked clearly into the chosen route.

2  The chosen route, besides meeting the stated criteria must attempt to reach the greatest local population possible.

3  We have no major preference for a route option other than to omit Option G, which completely bypasses Moycullen.

4  While alignment at times with the major N59 road route will be unavoidable, this should be limited to as little as possible of the alignment while still ensuring that nearby populations are served.

5  Cyclist.ie has been championing the development of local ‘Rothar Roads’ by Local Authorities, to make them safer and more attractive to cyclists and walkers – see here. These roads are also being looked at in the context of the new National Cycle Network. There is no reason why sections of this proposed greenway should not include sections of these wonderful local ‘rothar’ roads?

6  The potential linkage to offshoot cycle and walking routes along the network of nearby country roads will be a major benefit for the area overall, and the potential of these quiet country boreens, or ‘rothar roads’, can open up future opportunities in the area.

Colm Ryder
Infrastructural Coordinator of Cyclist.ie

Cyclist.ie delivered its Pre-Budget 2023 Submission to the Department of Finance (Minister Paschal Donohoe) and the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform (Minister Michael McGrath) yesterday, 14th July 2022.

You can read it in full as a PDF here or in the body text below. 

A big thanks to our hard-working Executive Committee and wider team for preparing the submission. This behind-the-scenes technical work is but a small part of our broader advocacy efforts to put cycling and walking to the fore in government policy, practice and investment decisions. 

Aggressively Promote Climate Change Requirements

Ensure that at least 20% of Transport Capital Funding is Allocated to Creating High-Quality Conditions for Cycling and Walking countrywide 

1 – Introduction 

Cyclist.ie – the Irish Cycling Advocacy Network, is the umbrella body of cycling advocacy groups in Ireland (https://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 Programme for Government (PfG), cycling as a mode of transport offers numerous well documented broad benefits to society – see below – as well as being ‘the most important tool in combating Climate Change’ (European Executive Vice President, Frans Timmermans, September 2021). Two years on from the publication of the PfG unlocking these benefits has assumed even more urgency.

Firstly, because the war in Ukraine has led to both substantial price increases for petrol and diesel and to anxiety about the supply of fossil fuel in the months and years ahead we need to conserve fuel supplies. Families are feeling the financial pressure, experiencing mobility poverty, transport exclusion and need to be supported to enable them to make short trips by active travel.  As can be seen from the pre Covid 2019 CSO graphic below, private cars are used for 29% of journeys as short as 2km or less.  While 40% walk or cycle these distances, it is still a startling statistic that needs to be tackled.  We need to enable and encourage travel by bike and on foot for shorter journeys, by funding the required infrastructure.

The second reason for prioritising and funding  every possible measure to enable more people to cycle more often, is that enabling cycling is the fastest and most cost effective  means of meeting the targets set for Transport in the Climate Action and Low Carbon Development (Amendment) Act 2021.  Cycling infrastructure and fiscal incentives for cycling can be rolled out on a fast timescale and offer a better return on investment than other transport modes, as well as numerous recognised benefits, such as:

● high rates of economic return on investment 

● improved public health 

● reduced congestion 

● reduced greenhouse gas emissions 

● reduced air and noise pollution 

● increased population mobility 

● more liveable and sociable streets and communities

Unlocking these benefits requires continued targeted and sustained investment. Government and Local Authorities must continue to be steadfast in ensuring this value for money and wide social benefits are availed of. 

In summary we are seeking: 

● Continuation of financial support for Active Travel of at least 20% of the Land Transport Capital Expenditure per annum 

● An immediate introduction of supports for the purchase of ebikes including e-cargo bikes on a similar basis to the current SEAI subsidy scheme for electric cars.

● Improvement and complementing the Bike to Work scheme to include students at all levels, unemployed, pensioners, and people with disabilities 

● Resourcing the growth of bike engineering training 

● Other ancillary supports

2 – Taxation and Fiscal Policy Directions to Create Modal-Shift by focusing on the eco-systems surrounding active travel

● Continue applying 20% of the transport capital expenditure annual budget on cycling and walking projects – as per the 2020 Programme for Government. This is essential and must be maintained year-on-year. Allocations for cycling development should be accounted for separately from other sustainable transport measures. 

● Increase the subsidies for e-bike purchases to ensure greater take-up. Support subsidies for e-bike purchases, especially e-cargo bikes need to be part of the SEAI Grants Package, need to be commensurate with EV grants generally, and need to be widely advertised.

● Expansion of the Bike to Work scheme to be more inclusive, possibly with a complementary scheme, with a focus on low earners, students, pensioners, and the unwaged, as well as specific supports for people with disabilities to adapt bikes to their use. The Bike to Work scheme rates should be improved to more realistic limits for E-bikes and  E-cargo bikes, which have the potential to support city/town deliveries, shopping in a greener and more efficient way, and enabling families to transport children.

● Provide support for more bike mechanic training programmes around the country, such as that operated by the Bike Engineering Academy in Pallas Green, Kilcormac, and Kilkenny, and by the Clonakilty Bike Circus. 

● Review the VRT levels for all sizes, weights and types of vehicles, to promote  the use of greener and smaller models. Sports Utility Vehicles (SUVs) should be specifically targeted for increased VRT. This reflects the increase in road danger for people walking and cycling from the driving of larger, heavier vehicles, which now command 50% of the private car market,  

• Parking levies legislation to be introduced with a view to encouraging greater sustainable transport use, and curbing car use. For example, a workplace parking levy, as successfully introduced in Nottingham, UK.  

• Provide increased support for cycle training and education initiatives around the country, through the local authorities / local sports partnerships with particular emphasis on those with lower cycling levels or greater access issues e.g. disadvantaged communities, people with disabilities, females, older adults and migrant communities.
  
  ● Introduce a scrappage / trade-in scheme similar to France where old cars can be scrapped in exchange for a grant provided for an E-bike / cargo bike purchase 

● The designation of adapted cycles (and all bicycles purchased by people with disabilities) as mobility aids for the purpose of VAT and other financial aid should also be implemented. 

● Provide and promote attractive Mileage / km allowances for cycling, to encourage greater use of commuting and working by bike, similar to what Belgium has done  

● Active Travel funds to be made available for local Authorities to purchase bikes, including E-bikes for elected officials, state and semi-state employees to use instead of cars for applicable journeys. 

● Provide the necessary funding to enable multi-modal trips by ensuring the Connecting Ireland programme includes the provision of covered secure bike parking at all transport hubs and at bus stops.   Continued greater provision of covered secure bike parking for all major transport hubs / interchanges, shopping and service centres, and in particular in schools and colleges. 

● Zero rate VAT on bicycle repairs and businesses – to promote the circular economy, create jobs in the green economy, and make cycling more affordable for people of all incomes. Cf. https://ecf.com/news-and-events/press-releases/cycling-organisations-achieve-important-victory-eu-consumers-reduced

• Provide funding specifically for inclusive engagement that enables local communities and other key stakeholders to co-design solutions, thereby helping to ensure any proposed infrastructure meets the needs of all potential users including women, young people, those with disabilities and people experiencing mobility poverty. 

We look forward to having the above recommendations considered favourably by the Department, and are happy to discuss any of the above in detail at any stage. 

Yours sincerely, 

Neasa Bheilbigh
Chairperson 
Cyclist.ie – the Irish Cycling Advocacy Network
[email protected]