Unintended consequences of focusing on cycling as the only danger to pedestrians

Comment & Analysis: There are unintended consequences of focusing on cycling as the only or main danger to pedestrians and block to the mobility of some disabled people.

The latest example is in Belmayne in Dublin City — the project follows a number of other examples of BusConnects-influenced designs.

The thinking is that it is somehow better for pedestrians to cross the equivalent 6-7 car lanes at once rather than crossing ~2m cycle tracks separately from the main carriageway.

We know a key thing for vulnerable pedestrians is crossing distances. We know that older and disabled pedestrians already say there’s not enough crossing time before lights turn orange and make them panic. This design increases those issues and the risk of pedestrians being left rushing across or stranded in the middle of the road.

Watch the video and please explain to me how this makes any sense…

It’s really anti-cycling scaremongering dressed up as being pedestrian friendly.

This will have bus lanes but this isn’t how you provide bus priority in new suburbs if you care about walking, cycling, general livability, or road safety: pic.twitter.com/9Hd8hHfmGc

— IrishCycle.com (@IrishCycle) June 15, 2023

The roadway is straight, a dual carriageway in a new residential area. It’s a design that should not really be happening — busways in new areas should be disentangled from private car routes.

But while it is a dual carriageway, the cycle paths still go in and out, includes narrowings, and, in places, goes up and down weirdly for no reason.

Then at the junction between Belmayne Main Street / Avenue and the Malahide Road, there’s a combination of options of cycling with buses or cycling on a shared space footpath… So. I also have to ask: How does this design make any sense?

Junction between Belmayne Main Street / Avenue and the malahide Road… How does the design make any sense? pic.twitter.com/Rl0xIx4i02

— IrishCycle.com (@IrishCycle) June 15, 2023

Still nowhere finished, but the design of this Dublin-style junction design means 2 bicycles turning will block the junction:

And finally, a smaller detail..

The detailing on minor side streets where the cycle path is visually interrupted by a concrete kerb is poor.

It implies the cycle path doesn’t have priority regardless of what other markings there will be, it will need red treatment over the surface to counter this by covering the kerb: