1 metre cycle tracks planned at bus stops in Cork, Limerick, South Dublin

— Bus stop design have narrowings or double narrowings, curves, “tram track” tiles, and ramps.

A BusConnects design which includes just 1 metre wide cycle tracks at bus stops is planned ahead of BusConnects in projects in Cork, Limerick and South Dublin.

1.5 metres is seen as the strict minimum width for cycle tracks and access points and 2 metres is recommended by groups such as Wheels for Wellbeing, a UK charity that campaigns for inclusive cycling and supports people with disabilities to cycle.

As reported last month, the BusConnects design manual includes cycle tracks at bus stops that are planned to be designed to a sub-standard width, have warning strips, Luas-like flashing lights embedded into the ground, and some design even full traffic lights, a Freedom of Information request has revealed.

The National Transport Authority (NTA), which manages the BusConnects project, has refused to answer questions on the issue, but the BusConnects guidance is seen to be aimed at satisfying some disability campaigners concerns about crossing cycle tracks. But the NTA designs are likely to impact on people with disabilities who use cycle paths, including adapted cycles and other mobility devices used by people with disabilities.

IMAGE: One of the BusConnects sample designs.

Given that the NTA has still yet to answer questions on the safety and accessibility of the designs, a Freedom of Information request has been lodged today requesting any records of such.

Local authorities who are so-far planning to use the design include Cork City Council, South Dublin County Council and Limerick City Council.

In all of the locations that the design is planned to be used, there seems to be space available at the location planned or near to it for standard-sized cycle tracks at bus stops, which would be more suitable for larger cycles.

Cork City Council is planning to use the BusConnects design in the Ballyvolane Strategic Transport Corridor, while South Dublin County Council is planning to use it in the Dodder Greenway link from Dodder Valley Park to Kilvere estate via Firhouse Road and Butterfield Avenue.

Despite councils being slow to install pedestrian crossings where residents or campaigners request them on busy roads, the Dodder Greenway link project design also includes fully signalised traffic lights across cycle tracks of around 1.5 metres width.

The Limerick City Council project using the design is so-far not publically available, but drawings for the project have been seen by IrishCycle.com and the design is similar to that used in Cork, pictured directly below. As with the Cork and South Dublin examples, the design is being used mainly in places without hard space constrains or with alternative spaces near by.

Example in Cork: Ballyvolane Strategic Transport Corridor

Example from South Dublin County Council: Dodder Greenway link from Dodder Valley Park to Kilvere estate via Firhouse Road and Butterfield Avenue.

IMAGE: Red tactile paving show the location of fully signalised traffic lights. Note: The measurement at the narrowing is clearly incorrectly shown as 2 metres when it’s smaller than the 2 metre cycle track on the other side of the road.

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1 comment

  1. That white zebra style road marking across the cycle track opposite the bus shelters will result when its wet, in an 8m long ice rink for cyclists. So if you are like me and you avoid cycling on white lines, you probably have an effective cycle track width of a couple of hundred mm, to ride on in this case. Yet another shite idea from the NTA.

    Reply

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