Double bus lane on Pearse Street stirs strong mixed cycling opinion
A double bus lane recently put in place on Dublin’s Pearse Street is stirring mixed opinion from those who cycle on the street.
The second bus lane installed on the outside of the existing one is designed to minimise the delay of rerouted buses due to Luas Cross City tram line construction.
Dublin City Council has said that the number of lanes on the street has not changed, however, many users complain that expanding the bus lane has changed the behaviour and often speed of a notable amount of taxi and bus drivers who they have to share the lanes with.
The city also admit that “one-way streets by their nature do not provide adequate facilities for cyclists”. The council adds that National Transport Authority proposals for a Swiftway Bus Rapid Transit route from Swords / Dublin Airport to City Centre includes the use of this section of Pearse Street and this will include provision of cycling facilities.
Views from the public range from it being the best part of people’s commute to “the deadliest act of anti-cycling planning in some time”, here’s a selection of views from Twitter:
@CiaranCuffe @what_if_dublin new double bus lane on Pearse Street is the deadliest act of anti-cycling planning in some time
— DormanArchitects (@DormanArchs) March 9, 2015
We managed to do Pearse Street at 63kph in a number 7 bus. Where’s @GardaTraffic at Pearse St station when you need them
— Keith Byrne Cycling (@CyclingVillage) January 2, 2015
So the new double bus lane on Pearse Street is fun to cycle on. And by fun I mean lethal! @dublinbusnews @DubCityCouncil
— Conchúr (@duburb) January 26, 2015
It’s an intimidating cycle, @IrishCycle. Buses weaving left and right, chopping and changing lanes. Felt sandwiched between them.
— John O’Sullivan (@Jackfire13) March 9, 2015
@IrishCycle its 1 of the nicest stretches on my way home.Buses pulling in use left lane&other lane is usually free @5.30pm
— Sinéad O’Brien (@sobbydunne) March 9, 2015
@IrishCycle Pearse St “upgrade” is a disaster for cycling. Overtaking is impossible with a stampede of buses on your tail.
— Conchúr (@duburb) March 10, 2015
@IrishCycle @cyclingindublin I don’t like it. You can be sandwiched between buses. Dangerous. Why no cycle lane while they were at it?
— Bernice Harrison (@BerniceHarrison) March 10, 2015
@DubCityCouncil @dublinbusnews Double width bus lane on Pearse St an absolute pleasure, lovely new surface and all; Helena (@hkiveat) February 11, 2015
‘One way streets by their nature do not provide adequate facilities for cyclists’ DCC Roads nTraffic #cycling#dublinpic.twitter.com/1FCV2x8Bu8
— DormanArchitects (@DormanArchs) March 11, 2015
IMAGE: Thanks to @stephen_coyne
Cian Ginty
I am editor of IrishCycle.com and have reported on and commented on cycling in Ireland for over a decade. My background is in journalism -- I have a BA in Journalism from DCU and HDip in Print Journalism from BCFE. I wrote about cycling for national newspapers, and then started CyclingInDublin.com for overflow stories. Later the website was re-branded to reflect a more national focus.
Taxis are far more of a danger in bus lanes for bicycle users than everything else. Their behaviour is going mostly unchecked. Close passes at speeds well over the limit are a daily occurrence. When it comes to off peak, the bus lane often feels like a high risk rally track.
As seen last week in Belfast, when public transport was affected by strike, the police let everyone use buslanes but told cyclists to wear hi viz. In this case, these painted lines on the road were not being considered part of the cycle infrastructure at all.
The mix of buses, taxis, and bicycles with all traffic and parking being added in during off peak is a complete joke. A joke, but it’s not funny for anyone travelling by bicycle around Dublin. On top of that it doesn’t really make a safe space for cycling accessible for everybody from 8 to 80, completely going against transport equality.
My office is on Pearse Street and so I am constantly able to monitor vehicle and bike movements.
Pearse Street has been a motorised vehicle race-track ever since the Beckett Bridge took a lot of the traffic away, so free-speeds increased as a result of less congestion. [Most drivers do not regard 50 km/h speed limit as appropriate under these conditions so it might as well be free-flow.]
Taxi drivers as well as bus and coach drivers are the worst offenders followed by concrete delivery HGVs – the very vehicle type that did most of the maiming and killing of cyclists during the construction boom of the Noughties.
The irony is that Pearse Street Garda station is only about 500 m west of the Westland Row junction but the speed exceedance detection and enforcement effort is almost non-existent. [In fact I have never observed any Garda intervention!]
For me Pearse Street represents the paradigm of how not to manage traffic if you want to achieve a modal-shift to cycling.
It borders on the criminal in terms of risk assessment outcome.
In this present regime cyclists just don’t count. But sure aren’t we the best small country in the world in which to do business?
I very rarely need to use Pearse Street now and try to avoid it at all costs and head past the Gas Theatre on Grand Canal Quay to access the Nth side and Sam Beckett Bridge. The only time I come up Pearse Street now if I am Travelling from the Sth City and want to get to O.Connell Street and Henry Street.
I just hate Pearse street always a problem especially when trying to turn right at Tara Street to get to Beressford Place.