Gardai have confirmed that bus lanes will remain in operation for the bus driver’s strike tomorrow and on Saturday.
“An Garda Siochana in consultation with Dublin City Council and other stakeholders would like to advise road users that the bus lanes will operate as normal on the 1st and 2nd May 2015 during the planned bus strike. It is important to note that bus lanes facilitate taxis, cyclist, private bus companies and the Emergency Services,” said a statement from the Garda press office.
It added: “Gardai are advising motorists to allow extra time when planning their journey during the planned bus strike. Gardai remind motorists that the bus lanes will operate as normal and we urge motorists to fully comply with the road signage.”
“Gardai and local authorities and other stakeholders will continue to monitor the situation but at this stage there is no plan to open the bus lanes up to other motorists
This is indeed good news.
I had just coincidentally posted to Cyclist.ie Facebook and Twitter pages warning Minister Donohoe and Garda HQ about making a rash decision to open the bus lanes to all vehicle types. I also called on the RSA to understand our extreme vulnerability.
Here are the risk assessment issues that I discern:
. Private coaches and taxis will still be in bus lane system in even greater numbers as they are entitled to be there. Taxis pose a real problem to us as they do not undergo annual CPC testing;
. We don’t want to drive the huge numbers of commuters who will try cycling to work/school/college away after day 1 due to fear. This should be seen as a godsend to get many more to try cycling; we don’t want to drive them up onto pavements – many more peds will be walking to work, etc.
. It is unfair to commuters using private coaches as their trip times will be extended by massive car/van/HGV occupancy of the bus lanes and clogging of junctions;
. We don’t want HGVs in the bus lanes for safety reasons;
. Many of the bus lanes are only a nominal 3.0 m in width – drivers don’t understand dangerous overtaking of us as it is;