News

IMAGE: An artist’s impression of College Green as envisaged by the Draft City Centre Transport Assessment Study

A report outlining a practical vision of how to give cyclists, pedestrians and public transport extra space on Dublin city centre streets is expected to be finalised and released in the first half of this year.

Following the coverage of the Draft City Centre Transport Assessment Study, by the The Irish Times in September, this publication requested a copy of the draft study from the National Transport Authority and Dublin City Council.

Both rejected the request which was made under environment freedom of information, the Access to Information on the Environment (AIE) regulations.

However, in its rejection letter in October, the NTA said: “It is anticipated that the study will be finalised and available in the first half of 2014.” It said Dublin City Council and the NTA continue to work on the study.

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As part of the ongoing DublinBikes expansion 11 new stations have opened in the last month across Dublin city centre and in the Docklands.

Five stations have been added in the last two weeks at Mount Street Lower, Grattan Street, Great Strand Street, and two at York Street.

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According to the mother of a female cyclist, who was left bloodied and confused in shock on the side of the road, Gardai have chosen not prosecute or fine the taxi driver who crashed into her daughter because his car was not travelling at speed and that the collision was a “misjudgement”.

The taxi driver – who had a client in his car – stopped and gave his details to the cyclist, but continued on without phoning for medical or police help. The cyclist’s mother said that the woman was left bleeding with facial injuries and crying on the side of the road.

The woman, Patrica Delmonte, told RTE’s Liveline earlier today that her daughter was hit when she was cycling in a cycle lane on the Rock Road in Dublin.  She said her daughter was without a phone and in a “terrified” in a state of shock fearing another car may hit her.

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High-visibility vests, often handed out by the Gardai and schools, are unlikely to help cyclists from the most dangerous overtaking according to researchers.

The conclusions came from a study using an ultrasonic distance sensor attached to a bicycle used on a daily commute.

The average gap which a motorist left while overtaking the cyclist was recorded at 1.18 meters, a decrease of more than half a meter from a study at the end of the 70s when the average gap was 1.79 meters.

Today’s average is notable shy of the 1.5 meter minimum passing distance recommended by safety bodies, including the Road Safety Authority.

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