Grand Canal bike lights to be turned on; here’s how they work

Dublin City Council has confirmed the date for when its experimental bicycle traffic lights on the Canals Cycle Route are to switched on. It said on twitter on Thursday: “We begin switching the Canal Cycle Way junction lights on from 14th March.”

Bellow is the traffic light sequence explained (image from Dublin City Council’s blog; text by cyclingindublin.com).

The main thing to note is: Cyclists on the route must obey the small bicycle traffic lights (these are around eye-level and attached to the vertical poll). A green light on the large, normal traffic lights only applies to traffic on the main carriageway — it does not apply to cyclists on the cycle route!

Here’s the sequence:

1. All red. All road users must stop.
2. Pedestrians get a green man to cross. All cyclists and motorists remain stopped.
3. The green man for pedestrians starts flashing, pedestrians may only finish crossing, they may not start to cross. At the same time, cyclists on the cycle route get an amber (or ‘orange’) bicycle light — they may proceed with caution and must yield to pedestrians who are already crossing.
4. Bicycle light green — cyclists on the route may proceed with caution. As per the rules of the road: “A green light is not a right of way, it is a licence to proceed with caution.” Pedestrians must not start crossing and motorists must remain stopped.
5. Bicycle lights go amber for a second time — cyclists on the route may finish crossing but should not start crossing. Pedestrians and motorists must remain stopped.
6. Bicycle lights go red the main traffic lights go through their sequence. Cyclists on the cycle route must obey the bicycle traffic lights and must wait for the bicycle lights to go amber again. Cyclists on the main carriageways obey the same traffic lights as motorists. All traffic and vehicles (which in law, includes cyclists and bicycles) on the main carriageway must also follow the rule that “A green light is not a right of way, it is a licence to proceed with caution.”

The council are looking for feedback on the comment section of their blog, on Facebook, and on twitter to them directly at @DubCityCouncil or using the #gcanalcycle hashtag on Twitter.

Here’s a video from the city council:

MORE: Dublin cyclists to get green light on canals route
MORE: Using junctions along the Canal Way Cycle Route (Dublin City Council)