This morning.

Further to news yesterday that a LIffey Cycle Route will be trialed this Summer.

Cian Ginty, editor of IrishCycle.com, says there are number of problems with the announcement. Namely:

It is non-continuous.

Mixes cyclists with buses and taxis in sections of bus lanes

.People cycling are exposed to left turning cars and trucks at junctions.

It uses narrow and very narrow lanes where demand is already high

Cian writes:

‘People cycling in Dublin already have cycle lanes which end at bus stops and junctions — what the council is calling “interim measures” will continue this and likely make things more dangerous at junctions

Under the council’s ‘interim measures’ for the quays, people cycling will still have to mix with buses at bus stops, mix with buses and taxis in sections of bus lanes, and, at junctions, there will still be conflict with left turning traffic.

Many people are quick to say ‘something is better than nothing’ but that’s not always the case with cycle route design.

There was a similar situation in London a number of years ago, unsafe stop-start segregated cycle paths were installed without dealing with the conflict areas like junctions and bus stops.

The result was that cycle routes looked more attractive, but the conflict remained or worsened and people died. It is senseless for Dublin to be making the same mistakes — there’s too much at stake.

Councillors need to have vision and implement a trial which is continuously segregated along the quays even if this means disrupting cars on the north quays.

Compromising on cycling safety just to maintain the same number of cars on the quays is pointless — cars are already seriously hampering the operation of the bus network and Luas green line, and there’s more buses and more trams on the way.

Something has to give.

Cities all around the world of different sizes — some with fewer public transport options than Dublin — have shown that city centre become better places when you reduce the number of cars. The sky doesn’t fall in.

The opposite is true and cities become more attractive places to live, work and do business in. For the people who need to drive, there would still be ample routes to reach car parks and other locations.’

7 Reasons Not To Support Dublin City’s New Proposals For The Quays (Cian Ginty, irishcycle.com)

Yesterday: Safe Passage