Department of Transport funding cycle lanes below national standards

An artist’s impression of the planned Tralee cycle lanes shows below standard widths and cars in the cycle lane

Files published by the Department of Transport, linked to a €1.46 million project, shows that planned cycle lanes are below national standards. The documents also suggest that council and department officials can’t tell the difference between cycle tracks and cycleways.

The revelations are contained in a submission document for Active Travel Towns funding for Tralee, jointly made by Tralee Town Council and Kerry County Council.

TRALEE cycle lanes drawings
1.25 meter cycle lanes as shown in the submission drawings

The successful submission includes cycle lanes which are just 1.25 meters wide — below minimum widths allowed under the National Cycle Manual. The manual dictates that cycle lanes must be at least 1.5 meters where traffic speeds are 30km/h, and at least 1.75 meters where traffic speeds are 50km/h.

The 6km cycle route is expected to cost €600,000, including funding from the department and the councils’ own funds. Most of the route is in 50km/h zones, including a number of example sections shown in the files published by the department.

The department said in a press release last week: “This proposals plans for cycle-ways, speed reductions with shared space proposals for Denny Street. Clear targets have been set and methods of evaluation outlined.”

The joint submission also references “cycleways” but no cycleways — which are roads reserved for cyclists — seem to be included in the submission. The files only depicts on-road cycle lanes, legally known as ‘cycle tracks’.

MORE: €6.5m walking and cycling funding to be split between nine towns
MORE: National Cycle Manual – Width Calculator
MORE: Active Travel Town submissions


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