SHORT: Can you be cycling in a shared area and also be cycling on a footpath?

COMMENT & ANALYSIS: Cork City Council tweeted today “When cycling in shared use areas we ask you to: Reduce your speed, look out for vulnerable pedestrians like the elderly or very young and not cycle on the footpaths”… sounds good, right? Most of it does but if you’re in a shared area how can you also be cycling on a footpath?

https://twitter.com/corkcitycouncil/status/1452531135221833728

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When councils design shared areas that look just like footpaths people on foot and on bikes are going to be confused. As outlined in the replies to Cork City Council’s tweet, when people give out about cyclists on footpaths, the areas in question are sometimes marked as shared areas that look like footpaths.

What is a shared area and what is a footpath? Is the council itself confused about this? It can get confusing for people when Cork City Council designs walking and cycling infrastructure like this:

ALSO READ: A car driver, a pedestrian and a cyclist walk into a bar… 


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