A bit of perspective needed on the Fitzwilliam Cycle Route

COMMENT & ANALYSIS: Last year I covered the Fitzwilliam Cycle Route mainly in a number of news articles, but, after cycling on the street a few days ago, I was left wondering how much perspective can be lost when discussing new cycle route?

This video on Twitter I think gives a better impression of the width of the street and the lack of traffic — as most people were still on their Christmas holidays on January 2nd — shows just how wide the street is:

This is Fitzwilliam Place / Square / Street — some residents claim narrowing this street by adding protected cycle lanes will make it less attractive to live on and less safe: pic.twitter.com/333HkNtwGH

— IrishCycle.com (@IrishCycle) January 5, 2019

Among claims from a small but well-resourced group of residents included that the project to narrow the space for cars would make the area less attractive to the area being re-populated with residents and that it would make safety worse. It was billed as the kind of place that doesn’t need change.

The realty is starkly different — even while it was quiet, I witnessed a father finding it difficult to cross the road with children.

There might be some details that need sorting but no resident or councillor or anybody else who claim to support cycling infrastructure suitable for all ages can object to the cycle route with a straight face.