Human barrier cycle lane protest prompts segregation request

A contra-flow cycle lane on St Andrew’s Street, off Dame Street in Dublin 2, might be segregated with bollards after protesters highlighted the chronic illegal parking and loading on the lane.

The chairman of the Dublin City Council transport committee, Cllr Ciaran Cuffe (Green Party), wrote last week to the council’s transport department requesting the installation of flexible bollards after the first protest by the newly formed ‘I Bike Dublin’ group.

“If Cllr Cuffes plans gets accepted it’ll be a first, hopefully of many, small victory,” said Vanessa Sterry, a spokesperson for I Bike Dublin.

Yesterday evening the group staged its second protest on St Andrew’s Street, after a morning protest a week before. Sterry said the atmosphere at the event was friendly, with tourists and locals asking them what they were doing.

“Wands (flexible bollards) aren’t pretty but neither are bollards, but it’s the only real deterrent,” said Sterry. “Ideally something a little more colourful like flower boxes would be amazing but you can’t have everything I suppose.”

Cllr Cuffe said: “Initiatives such as ‘I Bike Dublin’ deserve support. The mood was upbeat at today’s protest, but there is a serious underlying message. Cyclists are put in danger when vehicles obstruct cycle lanes. The guards and local authorities can and should do more to ensure that cycle lanes are kept free of obstructions. The Green Party is pleased to support this initiative.”

I Bike Dublin are looking at other cycle lanes to protest, suggestions on Twitter include the contra-flow Bull Alley St and the cycle lanes in locations such as Ranelagh.

IMAGE: Via Eamon Ryan on Twitter.


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4 comments

  1. Installation of bollards indicates abject failure of parking control action by a road authority and the police They are not pretty either in the historic core of any city. They are certainly not street art!
    But of course if the penalty for illegal parking in a cycle track is set (since 2004) at a paltry €60 and 1 penalty-point then it’s hardly surprising that drivers can behave with near impunity.

    Reply
  2. @Mike McKillen I don’t think there’s anything wrong with the penalty, it’s an enforcement issue. Who cares what the penalty is if you have zero chance of ever actually having to pay it?

    The lorry driver who insisted on using that contraflow lane during last weeks protest shows the attitude of entitlement among those who park on bicycle lanes. If they actually had to pay a fine or two and get points on their licence they might realise that cycling infrastructure is not for motor vehicles; no matter how convenient it might be for them to block it, even if it’s “only for five minutes”.

    Reply
  3. It’s fine for this small stretch of road, but you can’t put bollards on every cycle lane in the country – especially cycle lanes that are only operational during certain hours.

    Enforcement is needed and attitudes need to change.

    Reply
  4. Ever since they got rid of the Traffic Wardens everything is gone awry, practically no enforcement at all. Parking on Clearways especially in the City is bad too. On Abby Street between O’Connell St and Liffey St there is a 24hr Clearway and yet Cars Taxis and Vans Park on it for a long time. There is the Tram Tracks on the right which means Cyclists are wedged between Parked Vehicles and Vehicles coming from O’Connell St especially when a Tram is passing by.Also lately there are Cars parked on Paths in the Dublin area.

    We need enforcement not just Ticketing Vehicles which leaves the Vehicle in Situ. The Vehicle needs to be Towed away not left to cause an obstruction. If they continually block Cycle Lanes ,Bus Lanes, Clearways. Then their Vehicles need to be confiscated and sold or broken up for scrap.

    Reply

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