2012 -- IrishCycle.com

Cycling against traffic legally

December 27, 2013August 24, 2012 by Cian Ginty

6454573165_641fb9dd16_z — A recently built segregated contra-flow cycle track in Blackrock, Co Dublin

Contra-flow cycle lanes are far from new to Dublin, but is it time for the city to provide more of these cycling short-cuts? Cian Ginty reports.

Even when driving, one-way streets can be very frustrating, but most drivers don’t realise just how much Dublin’s network of one-way streets is designed for the car.

“One way streets are not something we’re into doing anymore. They tend to work from a car point of view because they generate capacity and longer links for stacking [traffic], but from a cyclist’s or
Dublin’s one-way system is extensive in the city centre area inside the canals – see the map left, showing just the multi-laned one-way streets. It’s nearly the flip opposite of the Dutch model.pedestrian’s point of view they are not great,” says Eoghan Madden, a senior engineer at Dublin City Council.

Our roads were made one-way for capacity to the benefit of motorists and at a cost to everybody else – cyclists who have to live with detours, bus users who have disconnected in and outbound bus stops, and the people living on and round what amount to very urban sections of dual carriageways.

Dublin Bikes: From city to suburbs

December 27, 2013August 22, 2012 by Cian Ginty

Dublin Bikes have made it in town, but can these city bikes survive in the wild suburbs, Cian Ginty writes.

‘A successful bicycle scheme is where you get two to three trips per bike per day and on our best days we’re heading towards 13 trips per bike,” says Andrew Montague, outgoing lord mayor.

A spokesman for the council said that for the first phase including the Docklands and around Hueston Station they nticipate that construction will commence before the end of 2012.”

Under review: Dublin’s cycling network

June 7, 2014August 22, 2012 by Cian Ginty

Dublin has a 20-25% target level for cycling, however few people expect this to be reached without changes on and off road.

“For years local authorities have had aspirational networks on their development plans – we want to work with them to move from aspirational to reality and to make that reality a prioritised one,” says Michael Aherne at the National Transport Authority

Are all doors open for cycling in Dublin?

December 27, 2013August 22, 2012 by Cian Ginty

‘Open doors’ for cycling was mentioned a lot to us in the process of writing Cycling in Dublin in print, so we asked Mike McKillen, of the Dublin Cycling Campaign, for his view on how open the doors really are.

Cycling daily to better health – the many health benefits

November 8, 2021August 22, 2012 by Cian Ginty

Cycling to work or school is a great way of building activity into your daily life, writes Caroline Peppard, a senior health promotion officer with the HSE. Health and wellbeing … Read more

“Little or no progress” with Dublin’s complex junctions or major one-way streets says report on cycling

April 14, 2016August 17, 2012 by Cian Ginty

4691147708_64a15c4f7e_o — Cyclists travelling from Westmorland Street to O’Connell Bridge

Dublin City has seen “a definite improvement” for cycling in the last five years, an independent report says, but it warns that targets will not be met if the momentum is not stepped up. It highlights how one-way streets and large junctions are not being tackled.

The Bypad report written for Dublin City Council was finalised earlier this year, but was not reported on until now.

“The concise conclusion from the 2011 Bypad audit is that there has been a definite improvement in the quality of the cycling policy in the last 5 years which included the appointment of Ireland’s first Cycling Officer,” the report said. “However, cycling needs to be taken far more seriously as a core part of urban transport policy than it currently is.”

Irish cycle track law to be revoked

August 17, 2012 by Cian Ginty

4482327325_136b380ae5 — Although there’s much confusion among cyclists and motorists, shared use paths like this one are not covered by the mandatory use law.

Legislation to revoke the rule which forces cyclists to use a cycle track regardless of its condition is in the process of being finalised, the Department of Transport said.

The national cycle policy includes a commitment to remove the current law, known as the “mandatory use” rule. That promise was originally made by Noel Dempsey, the transport minister in the last government, but has been slow to be delivered.

Cyclists are currently required to use cycle lanes marked with the correct bicycle logo sign, but cyclists view this as unfair given the current state of the country’s cycle lanes It’s understood that a number of bodies including the RSA are against changing the law.

“We have to do” quays cycle route – senior Dublin engineer

January 19, 2014August 17, 2012 by Cian Ginty

2482399964_245d9381dd_b — Traffic on Wolfe Tone Quay, near Heuston Station

A high quality cycle route on the quays is “something we have to do” a senior engineer with Dublin City Council has said.

Under the title “Liffey Cycle Route” council has allocated €150,000 for “design and commencement of construction of a high quality East-West city centre cycle route linking the IFSC in the east with Heuston Station and the Phoenix Park in the west.”