Cian Ginty

I am editor of IrishCycle.com and have reported on and commented on cycling in Ireland for over a decade. My background is in journalism -- I have a BA in Journalism from DCU and HDip in Print Journalism from BCFE. I wrote about cycling for national newspapers, and then started CyclingInDublin.com for overflow stories. Later the website was re-branded to reflect a more national focus.

IMAGES: What can Irish cities learn from cycling in Amsterdam?

by

Dublin and Amsterdam are cities of a similar enough scale in many ways, both have many narrow city centre streets, their population sizes and density are not a million miles different, and both have similar climates so suffer very similar weather. But Amsterdam residents cycle a lot more and one of the key differences is how that city’s streets and roads are designed for cycling; so, what can Dublin learn from its Dutch counterpart? And can other Irish cities pick up tips along the way?

Cycling in the city centre should be attractive to all, not just mostly male adults:

DSC_5432

Read more

Blackrock bypass upgrade retains design “exposing pedestrians and cyclists to greater danger”

by
slip turn example
A slip turn from the Frascati Road onto Mount Merrion Avenue — the council plans to reduce the size of the lane.

Upgrade plans for the Blackrock bypass in Co Dublin includes left slips turns which one state agency branded a “significant risk” to pedestrians and cyclists.

Two sets of design guidelines recommend removing these slips from urban areas.

Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council, in a report on the plans, says that it is “committed to providing high quality pedestrian and cycle facilities” and that the upgrade is design to “improve the pedestrian and cycle facilities”.

However, the council’s plans for Frascati Road and Temple Hill goes against guidelines covering slips turns, having pedestrian crossings on all legs of junctions, and omitting staggered crossings.

Slip junctions are retained at a number of locations, including at Mount Merrion Avenue, at the main access to Frascati Shopping Centre, and access points into and out of Blackrock Village — just one slip junction along the route is to be removed and another is to be converted into bus-only.

Read more

Irish regional city bike share to carry Coca-Cola brand

by

Press release from the Department of Transport:

MINISTER KELLY LAUNCHES ‘COKE ZERO BIKES’ THE BIKE SHARE SCHEME FOR CORK, LIMERICK & GALWAY

Coca-Cola Ireland Selected as partner for the Schemes

‘A breakthrough day for cycling in Ireland’

Public Transport Minister, Alan Kelly has today announced details of new bike-share schemes for the cities of Cork, Limerick and Galway.

The schemes, which will be the first of their kind in the cities, will allow potential cyclists to use bikes for either free or at a low cost and take/leave them at various docking stations throughout the cities. The roll out of the schemes is being made possible following an agreement by Coca-Cola Ireland to partner with the Department of Transport, Tourism & Sport, the NTA and the Cities of Cork, Galway and Limerick on this important initiative which will be operational in July 2014.
The schemes will be carried out by the National Transport Authority (NTA) in partnership with Coca-Cola Ireland and will be known as ‘Coke Zero Bikes’.

Read more

Cyclist group welcomes rejection of Tralee to Dingle road upgrade

by

Img_8756Cyclists yesterday welcomed the rejection of the planned Tralee to Dingle road upgrade using a new design of segregated cycling path.

Unlike the Great Western Greenway in Co Mayo (a road-side section pictured, right) which is mostly away from the main road, the Co Kerry project would have included the cycle path directly alongside the N86 road for 28km.

Read more

€80 million cycling network upgrade is better value than Luas

by
Planned primary cycle routes in the Dublin City Council area

Dublin City Council estimates 100km of cycle track it is planning could cost as much as €80 million – but according to the councillor behind DublinBikes the spend is “well worth the investment”.

The upgrade of primary cycle routes is linked to the National Transport Authority’s draft Cycle Network Plan for the Greater Dublin Area. 

Read more