Is this Ireland’s narrowest cycle track? And maybe the most pointless one too?

A reader spotted this cycle track measuring in at 940mm wide to the white line. Is this Ireland’s narrowest off-road cycle track?

The narrow cycle track is on a regional road alongside a new residential development on the outskirts of Macroom, Co Cork. It’s in the outbound direction only, towards the town’s new bypass and the countryside beyond it.

And what exactly is the point of it? It starts in foreground of the image below and ends in the background with a yield symbol?

For a cycle track level with the footpath, it strangely has bollards protecting it:

As it ends, it narrows in even further:

It ends with high walls which block visibility at this entrance to new housing estate:

It’s not clear if people cycling are expected to jump out onto the road here or cycle along the footpath to the very set back pedestrian crossing point (marked with yellow arrows(“):

You can look at it in all if its wonder on Google Street View.


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7 comments

  1. Looks like its there in order to be seen to be doing something.
    The developer can use it for Public Relations (or to apply for some kind of grant?).
    Not even suitable for small children.

    Reply
  2. That cycle lane is likely more harm than good as anyone cycling along that pointless bit of footpath surfacing on the road can find themselves harassed by motorists for not using the ‘cycle lane,’

    Reply
  3. It’s worse than pointless. Give up your road position to have to get back onto the same position 80m down the road while yielding to traffic there. This close to a junction with no signally too. Begs the question of who are you yielding too? Just the traffic lane you are merging into or would you be expected to yield to traffic from the estate and the opposite direction.

    Reply

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