An article which claimed that the draft Cork Road Safety Plan recommends compulsory hi-vis jackets and helmets is incorrect, according to information seen by IrishCycle.com.
The Irish Examiner reported today that: “A new road safety report will recommend it be made compulsory for cyclists to wear helmets and high visibility jackets at all times, and that pedestrians wear the jackets after dark. The recommendations are contained in a draft Cork Road Safety Plan report (2016-2020), which is a collaboration between the two local authorities in the region, the gardaí, the HSE, RSA, and fire service.”
However, based on what we view to be reliable information, we understand that this is not the case. The current draft plan does not include a recommendation compulsory helmets and hi-vis, and, in any case, the plan is at draft stage.
The Examiner article seems to be a reflection of comments from councillors who were discussing the draft report at the Cork County Council’s transport special purposes committee, and not the actual content of the draft plan. Local councils, in any case, do not have any powers to make helmets or high-vis mandatory to wear.
IMAGE: A bicycle user wearing RSA high-vis and a helmet cycles between a footpath and a tram.
READ MORE:
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- Compulsory bicycle helmets raised by TDs and Senator 14 times in 15 years
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