COMMENT & ANALISIS: If Dublin councillors want to see substantial progress on safety for walking and cycling (as well as climate action), more anti-rat running measures are needed even if such measures are unpopular at first.
For readers who are new to IrishCycle.com: This website covers more than just cycling and the main benefits of these types of measures are not for cycling, but rather for pedestrians and overall community gain.
We’ve seen from the bollards across the Drumcondra Road and in Grangegorman that at first these measures — called filtered permeability — are resisted by some residents (and by the rat runners). But, when trials of these measures are given time to bed in, most people see how the change is a positive one for their communities.
The benefits include creating a safer environment for walking and cycling which enables what is called a modal shift from car use to sustainable transport — in other words, people using their cars a bit less, especially for short trips. But the wider gain is a calmer, less hectic community.
The problems on Richmond Road were highlighted over the weekend by the video below posted to twitter.
But the problems are more widespread than just Richmond Road or even also Grace Park Road, the side roads between Grace Park Road and the Drumcondra Road are also suffering too from chronic issues and these have been going on for decades with inaction by the council and are now getting worse with new homes being built. Brave action is needed from councillors.
Placing bollards or planters on Richmond Road and Grace Park Road is an example where the area would be transformed by just two sets of bollards or planters.
This makes it really easy to be trialled compared to other areas. The idea for modal filters on Richmond Road and Grace Park Road ticks a few boxes including an urgent need for action and the ability to implement wide change with measures at just two points. As far as I know, this scheme could work with the exiting traffic arrangements on all the main roads surrounding the area — this mean a trial is easy to implement.
Althought it should still be stressed that action is still needed in areas such as Marino and for the area scheme suggested by Iona Residents.
Are councillors brave enough or will they turn to ineffective solutions, such as making the road one-way which can make some issues worse?
Possible locations: of bollards
These are just examples of where the bollards could be effective — these could be moved somewhat and still work.
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