Dublin politicians and cycling survey highlights

For 2013 Cycling in Dublin, the newspaper, we surveyed Dublin’s TDs and councillors to get an overview of politicians’ opinions on cycling; here we publish extra details with analysis by Cian Ginty and Colm Moore. Results should be read in the context set out across the following pages:

Highlights

Among respondents, overall support for the following measures ranged between 90-100%:

  • DublinBikes / bike share
  • Bike to Work scheme
  • 30km/h zones beside schools

Among respondents, overall support for the following was at or over 60%:

  • On-the-spot fines for cyclists
  • Dutch or Danish style cycle paths, even if it sometimes means removing traffic lanes or parking (support 59.3%)
  • Phoenix Park to Point Village cycle route (including reconfiguring the quays)
  • 30km/h zones in residential areas
  • 30km/h zones in town/city centres
  • Barrier-free cycle routes Barrier-free cycle routes
  • Contra-flow cycle paths (allowing cyclists to safely go two-ways on one-way streets)
  • Contra-flow without cycle paths on slow-speed one-way residential or shopping streets
  • Allowing bicycles on Luas (off-peak / when it’s not busy)
  • The phasing out of the use of cycle lanes which double as parking

The lowest show of support was for “Barriers (such as “kissing gates”) on cycle routes” at just 18.7%.

“Shared use areas where cyclists, pedestrians and wheelchair users mix” was the only other measure to get below 50% support and the reasoning for this is explored more in the analysis of the image question on shared use, the highlights of which includes:

  • Just over 50% of respondents agreed that the shared use design sends out mixed messages to cyclists who who are usually told not cycle on footpaths.
  • While the majority viewed shared use as inviting for cyclists, the majority did not agree it was inviting for pedestrians, people who are blind or people who are old.

– By Cian Ginty

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