All posts by John Dawson

Cycle Protest

Last October we held Ireland’s largest ever cycle protest when almost 1,000 cyclists took to the streets to demand proper funding for cycling. We’re taking to the streets again on Wednesday 22nd February, gathering from 12.45pm outside the office of the Minister for Transport, Shane Ross in Leeson Lane and cycling to the Dáil at 1.00pm. We’re calling on the Minister to:

  • allocate at least 10% of the Transport Budget to cycling
  • implement the National Cycle Policy Framework in full
  • take action to reduce transport emissions so that Ireland fulfils its obligations under the Paris Agreement

More info: Dublin Cycling Website

Motorists support introduction of 30km/h speed limits

More than two-thirds (68 per cent) of motorists support the introduction of 30km/h speed limits in city centre areas.

The annual 123.ie car review survey of nearly 4,000 motorists, found large-scale support for plans to lower limits in residential areas. Plans for the phasing in of such limits throughout Dublin city and suburbs were approved by the city council in December, despite opposition from AA Ireland.

The 30km/h limit will apply on almost all roads and streets as far as the council’s boundary with the four other Dublin local authorities, excluding “arterial” roads.

Read more

Cycle Right Launched by Minister Ross

National Standard Rolled Out Nationwide

Cycle Right, the National Standard for Cycle Training in Ireland, has been officially launched by Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport Shane Ross TD. Through a standardised cyclist road safety training course, cycling skills and road safety awareness will be delivered to school children nationwide. The National Standard – Cycle Right – is funded by the Department of Transport Tourism and Sport (DTTAS) and the Road Safety Authority (RSA). It has been developed through a steering group of Cycling Ireland, DTTAS, the RSA and others.

Cycling Ireland CEO Geoff Liffey is excited about the launch of Cycle Right saying; “I am very excited about the launch of Cycle Right; this is one of the most significant positive developments that we have seen in recent years, and will be a crucial tool in progressing cycling. By learning correct cycling skills, and learning how to cycle safely on the roads, more people will be encouraged to ride their bikes on a regular basis. By increasing the number of people cycling and increasing its visibility, our voice is louder in the move towards a more cycling friendly country.”

“While there have been successful cycle training providers operating in Ireland for years, Cycle Right, the National Standard for Cycling Training in Ireland, ensures that everyone is delivering the same message, and the standard of training received by everyone is the same. This project has been in development for over six years and I’m very pleased to see it finally come to fruition as part of our current strategy.”

Launching Cycle Right Minister Ross stated “I am delighted to announce that my Department is funding the national roll-out of Cycle Right – the new national cycle training standard – to primary schools for 2017. This new standard, that includes an on-road element of training, will ensure that we have, for the first time, a standardised level of cycle training around the country. It will also complete one of our policy objectives under the National Cycle Policy Framework.”

The Minister continued – “Since my appointment as Minister, I have become even more aware of the numbers cycling to work and the continued year-on-year growth in those numbers, particularly in Dublin. However, we do need to address the fact that we are not seeing any significant growth in the numbers cycling to school, these are the cyclists of tomorrow and we need to give them the skills and confidence to cycle to school now, so that when they graduate they will continue cycling for the rest of their lives. Cycle Right will give them those skills and that confidence.”

The Minister added – “I am particularly pleased to note that Cycle Right was developed by a partnership steering committee consisting of a wide-range of stakeholders, Cycling Ireland, the Road Safety Authority, An Garda Síochána, An Táisce Green Schools, Coaching Ireland and representatives of local authorities along with my Department. This has ensured that the Safety aspect of this training has been key in its development.”

“I understand that training will commence in early 2017 and I look forward to congratulating some of the first graduates in person in the Spring. It is important that parents support this initiative and use this opportunity to look again at how their children travel to school. I know, from my discussions with my colleagues the Minister for Health and Minister for Children that childhood obesity is a pressing issue and that active travel to school, be that by cycling or walking is very important in addressing this.”

Cycle Right is funded by the Department of Transport Tourism and Sport and the Road Safety Authority, and will be administered and managed by Cycling Ireland, the National Governing Body of Cycling in Ireland.

See also article on website of Department of Transport Tourism and Sport (DTTAS)

Cyclists outnumber cars in parts of Dublin city

Cyclists have begun to outnumber general traffic in some areas of Dublin city and the trend is set to “massively” accelerate, according to Dublin City Council.

At a hearing of the council’s Central Area Committee this morning, Tuesday, Dublin City Council ‘s head of technical service Brendan O’Brien revealed that on Arran Quay along the bank of the River Liffey cyclists outnumbered cars.

This change had taken place in the period since 2013-2014 when the council first began to properly develop plans for the two-way segregated cycle lane down the quays.

Read article

First results of the CHIPS survey on barriers to cycling

In the first week of December the CHIPS (Cycle Highways Innovation for smarter People transport and Spatial planning) partners met in the surprisingly sunny city of Belfast to discuss the results of CHIPS survey and to design the behavioural change campaigns to attract more users on the cycle highways. The survey which was conducted by the project partners in Northern Ireland revealed the main barriers faced by commuters while cycling to work. Most respondents claimed that non-segregation of traffic is the biggest problem, while a smaller group of surveyed people has identified weather as the biggest problem. Read more

New EU funding for cycling projects in Ireland announced!

At the beginning of December an official press release for the funding of three cross-border greenway projects in the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland was announced that will open up new sustainable cross border travel routes for both cyclists and pedestrians. The EU’s INTERREG VA Programme has offered approximately €23.27 million.This will fund the development of greenways in three different areas including one joining Carlingford to Newry, a route from Monaghan into Armagh along the Ulster Canal and three different routes in the North West, one from Strabane to Lifford and two from Derry/ Londonderry into Donegal. One of these routes is good news for the further development of EuroVelo 1 in Ireland. Read article