NRA get toll figures wrong by 20 to 30% – but it’s taxpayers that will pay

• On the M3 traffic is 22% below the penalty payments level
• Traffic is 26% below the penalty payments level on the Limerick Tunnel
• Taxpayers face a €100m bill over the life of PPP contracts based on a scenario favourable to the NRA i.e. traffic growth assumed from 2011
• Arrogance and naivety of the NRA shown in toll road contracts
• NRA continues to use discredited projections in attempting to justify further motorway

The NRA’s expectation that traffic would grow rapidly has proved hopelessly inaccurate. Continue reading Double hit for taxpayers as NRA needs €100m bailout on toll roads →

Inspired by this example from Harlow, Galway City Council have created this even more ambitious scheme on Doughiska Road. Unfortunately, the cost of erecting Cyclists Dismount signs at the 18 junctions, 41 private drives and 12 bus stops interrupting this 1.4km shared use pavement proved prohibitive, so they had to compromise by painting Give Way markings on the pavement.

Ben Hamilton-Baille wants cars and people to share the same street space and he believes that this will make cities safer for pedestrians and drivers. Ben Hamilton-Baillie likes taking risk. He thinks we all need more of it in our daily lives.

“How we manage and live with it is part of the natural orders of life. Trying to mollycoddle motorists and cocoon them in safety equipment is good for neither the driver nor the other road users with whom they share the streets.” Full article.

Independent: Thursday 2 September 2010

Rather grim reading, but essential to know: RSA publication (March 2010) about pedal cyclist road collisions 1998-2008

The Road Safety Authority (RSA) is calling on people nationwide to nominate ‘Leading Lights’ in road safety as part of the 2010 ‘Leading Lights in Road Safety’ Awards. The awards recognise the extraordinary contribution of people across Ireland to make road use safer for everyone. The call for entries opens this today Monday 23rd August and the winners will be announced at an awards ceremony in Dublin Castle on Wednesday 13th October. Continue reading Do You Know A ‘Leading Light’ in Road Safety →

PLANS FOR a 2,000km national network of cycle paths connecting cities and major town across the Republic have been drafted by the National Roads Authority.

Work on a detailed route for the first “interurban” cycle path from Dublin to Galway began recently and is due to be completed by the end of the year. Continue reading Plan for 2,000km national cycle-path network unveiled →

Time to clamp down on the lawless world of cyclists

A short publication from Smarter Travel: Sharing Space with Cyclists – Some commonsense tips for motorists