‘Cyclists Outnumber Motorists 1,269 to 1,131’

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c14oulrxgamuhue traffic-count

Ellis Quay in Dublin and results of a traffic survey

Yesterday.

During  a Central Area Committee meeting of Dublin City Council.

The Liffey Cycle Route was discussed.

Further to this…

Cian McGinty, of Irish Cycle, writes:

A proposal to move cars off Dublin’s quays for a section around Smithfield was “not made lightly” and is part of “difficult decisions” required for a workable plan for the Liffey Cycle Route, Dublin City Council’s director of traffic said yesterday.

He was speaking at a presentation on the project at a meeting of the central area committee of Dublin City Council yesterday, where it was also made public that bicycles now outnumber cars on Ellis Quay in the morning rush hour.

The current proposal for the Liffey Cycle Route includes prioritising walking, cycling and buses on the quays, while diverting motorists off the quays just before Ellis Quay and around Smithfield using streets which are already part of the city’s inner orbital traffic route.

Speaking about the proposed detour of motorists, Brendan O’Brien, head of technical services with the transport section of the council, said: “That’s possibly one of the more contentious aspects of the scheme but it was not arrived at lightly — it was the result of a long process which kicked off in 2012.”

“We’re trying to accommodate all modes on the quays, but where we can’t we have to make some difficult decisions,” said O’Brien. He highlighted how how this is the seventh option for the cycle route to be looked at in detail — even more options were looked at, but deemed unworkable.

He said that the council were at the moment looking at detailed traffic impact assessment, noise and air quality assessments, and an environmental screening report to see if the plan needs to be refereed to An Bord Pleanála.

Cllr Janice Boylan (SF) said that she and other councillors had been contacted by one of the principals of the two schools on North Brunswick Street who expressed concern about extra traffic from motorists diverted off the quays. She said that the roads were already congested for the children arriving by car, bicycle and on foot.

Cllr Christy Burke (independent) said the overall plan was a “great proposal”, but only after he outlined how he is opposed to many practical elements of the plan. He said he was against the removal of car parking spaces along the quays, and he was against both the reallocation a traffic lane and removal of trees at Bachelors Walk.

Regarding Bachelors Walk, council officials said that the removal of the trees was needed if both a bus and a lane for car access were to be maintained. Having only bus lanes and the cycle route on Bachelors Walk a part of a draft City Centre Transport Study proposals, but car park owners and retailers have so-far successfully lobbied against this.

Cllr Burke also asked how many car parking spaces would be lost and how would the council be “compensating the motorists” and the “city’s coffers”.

While lightly banging his hand off the table, Cllr Burke said: “A lot of money is going into cycle routes… but cyclists must learn to obey and respect the rules of the road… they must wear their high-vis, they must have front and rear lights…” and stop at red lights.

…Cllr Nial Ring (Independent) said: “I was always opposed to this and, I got further information this morning… and I’m even more opposed to it now.” Cllr Ring is a serial objector to cycle paths who has objected to an upgrade of the North Strand cycle route on “mental health” grounds and he also tried to get motoring added to a policy on sustainable transport.

Cars off quays proposal for Liffey Cycle Route ‘not arrived at lightly’ (Irish Cycle)

Watch the meeting here

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31 thoughts on “‘Cyclists Outnumber Motorists 1,269 to 1,131’

  1. blueswannabe

    More cars than bikes # more people in cars than people on bikes.

    Surely you’d have to consider this if you were looking at the impact, if your suggestion is those in cars (not just the drivers) use public transport instead then the difference could be quite substantial.

  2. Cian

    Anyone know where the numbers for the 3 hours are done? is this a one-off count, or do they do it for a number of weeks and average it out?

    If it is a one-off it could be affected by heavy traffic (slows cars, doesn’t affect bikes) or the weather/season (if it rains or is windy many cyclists will bus/drive instead). I’d love to see the underlying data to see how variable it is across a few weeks.

  3. Paps

    ..but cyclists must learn to obey and respect the rules of the road “they must wear their high-vis”

    So when did this come into law Cllr Burke?

    Can we have all pedestrians also obeying and respecting the rules of the road too please? All drivers too… Thanks.

  4. Jake38

    I suggest it is made legal to run over cyclists who cycle in the dark with no lights on their bikes. That should even up the numbers.

  5. Vote Rep #1

    Niall Ring objects to everything related to cycling. He views any cycling infrastructure as a crusade against motorists. A very odd man.

  6. Increasing Displacement

    I’m sure those cyclists will be glad to have a bicycle tax raised to fund and maintain all their wants and needs.

    1. Paps

      does it apply to unicycles? does it apply to other types of wheeled self powered vehicles? are tricycles included? how about scooters? do kids have to pay? are heelies included?

    2. Vote Rep #1

      Indeed. I think all cyclists, including children, should be taxed for having a bike.

      The footpaths in Dublin are shocking so we should also have an extra pedestrian tax on anyone who walks to fund and maintain all the necessary footpaths.

      There is a lot of dog poo around the place so we should also have an extra dog tax on anyone who owns a dog to clean it all up. Maybe just extend it to a pet tax for more money.

    3. edalicious

      Or, you know, we could just continue to pay for roads out of general taxation, as always. I don’t drive into town every day but I still have to pay for all the wear and tear on the roads caused by those that do.

      1. Nigel

        When you think about it, they’re saving the planet AND paying taxes. They really are the true heroes.

  7. Fact Checker

    Kudos to Broadsheet for actually reporting on the goings-on at Dublin City Council, in charge of lots of things for 550,000 people.

    Honourable mention to the Dublin Inquirer too.

    Mainstream media rarely bother.

    1. Kieran NYC

      Mainstream media don’t have the resources anymore to have someone show up to all these meetings

      And people wonder why the IT and other outlets they used to pay for are going to poo

  8. Turgenev

    Has the council considered this:

    https://www.theguardian.com/society/2017/jan/04/living-near-heavy-traffic-increases-dementia-risk-say-scientists
    Living near heavy traffic increases risk of dementia, say scientists
    Study tracking 6.6 million people estimates one in 10 cases of Alzheimer’s among those living by busy roads could be linked to air and noise pollution.
    The latest study, published in The Lancet, found that those who live closest to major traffic arteries were up to 12% more likely to be diagnosed with dementia – a small but significant increase in risk.
    The study, which tracked roughly 6.6 million people for more than a decade

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