Hundreds of people are expected to gather at the Natural History Museum (aka the Dead Zoo) at 5.30pm, today for a cycling protest in response to a lack of funding allocated for cycling projects. It also follows nine cyclist deaths across Ireland and a number of major injuries this year.
On the event’s Facebook page, nearly 500 people have said that they are going to the protest — but the protest’s organisers have stressed that a large show of numbers is needed to make an impact.
Starting at 5.30pm on Merrion Square West, the protest will cycle by around 6.15pm to the Department of Transport offices at Leeson Lane, where Minister Shane Ross’ office is located.
“It’s time that cyclists’ voices were listened to and acted upon. We need to make Ireland safe for cyclists of all ages and abilities. We need to unlock the true potential that cycling investment can provide for this country,” said Colm Ryder, chairperson of Cyclist.ie, the umbrella group for most Irish cycling campaign.
A statement, the Dublin Cycling Campaign said: “Enough is enough. Cyclists demand proper funding for cycling as a transport mode, to make it a safe and normal everyday activity for people of all ages and abilities to cycle to school, college, work and other destinations and to cycle for leisure.”
MORE: Cycle Protest to Demand Proper Funding for Cycling on Facebook
MORE: Cycle Protest on Monday 3rd October 2016: Guidelines for Protesters
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Up until last Friday, DoTTAS web-site was still showing Minister Donohoe as incumbent minister! No mention of active travel or cycling in list of its priorities either. This is telling and forms the policy backdrop to the protest this evening.
A department of state that has clearly turned its back on cycling promotion. Keep on ‘truckin is the motto and to hell with transport GHG mitigation.
Shane Ross is being shown up as a charlatan. We couldn’t get away from his self-aggrandizing bluster and righteous indignation in the media before he was in government, but he is apparently clueless in office. I was trying to work out if he is actively anti-cycling or just completely out of his depth and unable to move any transport projects forward. I think now that it’s the latter.