Last week more than 300 students from three schools in Tramore, Co Waterford, cycled on the ring-road in the town to look for safe space for cycling on the routes. RTE News took up the story:
Senator Paudie Coffey (Fine Gael) said he was “Glad to support Tramore schools campaign for a cycle lane on the ring-road.”
Glad to support Tramore schools campaign for a cycle lane on the ring-road this morning… pic.twitter.com/hIBbwqddAV
— Paudie Coffey (@PaudieCoffey) June 16, 2017
The Waterford branch of the Green Party said that it show the need that exists for cycle routes:
What a super initiative by #Tramore schools! It just goes to show the need that exists #bikelanes #allocate4cycling https://t.co/BLNwPAMQvi
— Waterford Greens (@WaterfordGreens) June 17, 2017
The question must be asked why should the Students of Waterford have to protest for a Cycle Path when this should have been put in automatically. The Government is supposed to be promoting Cycling for everybody throughout Ireland and making it safe for Cyclists. Yet time and time again Cyclists have to scream at the Government to put in best practice Cycle Paths. What they normally end up with is Shoddy unsafe Cycllng infrastructure.
The Government should be putting in Cycle paths without being asked to do it, also they should be upgrading all the shoddy ones to best practice they put in down the years.
Absolutely, quality cyclepaths should be installed by default, and it is infuriating that this kind of protest has to happen. However, in the absence of a progressive cycling policy and enlightened leaders, politicians being shamed into action by schoolkids is about the best we can hope for.