People who cycle in Cork celebrated a win this week as Cork City Council finally started segregating existing cycle lanes with plastic bollards and dividers.
The amount of protection using bollards is relatively short, but people have welcomed the action as a good first step, and welcomed the council changing its previous stance that cars parking in cycle lanes was just a policing issue.
Here’s a sample of the new bollards:
https://twitter.com/CelsoBRA/status/1333701996000518146
https://twitter.com/corkcitycouncil/status/1331634790467067905
Go @corkcitycouncil! We are regular critics, but happy to be given reasons to praise your efforts. https://t.co/fBdOatSkJw
— I BIKE Dublin (@IBIKEDublin) December 1, 2020
Thanks to @flynniestweets and @Tommyhen78 for standing in this bike lane on a cold morning last Nov.@ColetteFinnCork for joining us and pushing for segregation here with #corkcc even before CoVid hit.
And 👥 for getting the job done.
It takes a village..👏 https://t.co/DLIiI0UVmO
— conn donovan (@conndonovan9) December 2, 2020
Some of the cycle lanes are very narrow and the narrowness effect is made worse by Cork City Council insisting that dividers be placed inside cycle lane line markings — despite councils elsewhere placing bollards on painted lines:
Meanwhile, @DubCityCouncil and @dlrcc be like: https://t.co/WyShwpJA0p pic.twitter.com/KhOWA33RGF
— IrishCycle.com (@IrishCycle) November 18, 2020
Like the use of plastic bollards elsewhere, there’s also some other teething problems:
https://twitter.com/harharhabbo/status/1333090392267517954
Hi @ESBNetworks your contractor #TLIGroup are updating meters in my neighbourhood. Their can is blocking a #SafeRouteToSchool for children in the area. They seem to be under the misapprehension that leaving your flashers on means you are not illegally parked. pic.twitter.com/EmZdlFyOcQ
— Orla Burke (@OrlaBurkeCork) December 3, 2020
A sample of more videos, photos and reaction from Cork:
Delighted that this section of cycle lane is now protected. Well done @corkcitycouncil it really helps to encourage people to cycle. Thanks to @DeanVenables and all the other members of cycling campaign @CorkCyclingCrew who have lobbied for this for many years. https://t.co/byat9pedjR
— Cllr. Colette Finn (@ColetteFinnCork) December 3, 2020
https://twitter.com/dtexlyn/status/1334123674400657408
Like the new cycle lane protection on Washington St? 🤞
Bollards prevent vehicles parking or driving in cycle lanes 🚧
At this location, they will also help prevent buses being held up by cars parked across the white line 🚍
🚖💭? New rank just to the left of the 🚦 pic.twitter.com/apk8FkODg7
— Cork Cycling Campaign (@CorkCyclingCrew) November 26, 2020
Great to see cycle lanes segregated. Thanks @corkcitycouncil Getting there. #cork #cycling @CorkCyclingCrew pic.twitter.com/sIGMllAsbk
— Formerly Mouse Cork (@OldMouseCork) November 26, 2020
Oh yay! It's exactly a year since I fell off my bike on Washington St, dodging an illegally parked vehicle. I was pregnant at the time and got such a fright that I didn't really cycle since then. This is such a relief! Thanks @corkcitycouncil & to all who campaigned. pic.twitter.com/gEUAyan5nb
— Dr Eileen Hogan (@EileenHoganUCC) November 30, 2020
Over 3km of cycle lanes protected and circa 5km of new segregated cycle lanes delivered since UCC and other 3rd level institutions made a public call for a safe cycle network in Cork last year.
Lots done, lots to do! 💪https://t.co/hSGyDf9T0Z
— conn donovan (@conndonovan9) December 2, 2020
The recent work includes the installation of new cycle lane as part of a project on Horgan’s Quay, which IrishCycle.com has reported on before.
New bike lane that has possibly gone under the radar, must have been Lined and bollarded within 2 weeks at least. Unfortunately the lower glanmire road is no longer part of my commute. @CorkCyclingCrew @corkcitycouncil pic.twitter.com/lMcPaEY9mO
— partig cronin (@CroninPa) November 27, 2020