Tag Archives: Liffey cycle route

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

Existing Wellington Quay, Dublin 2, and proposed changes to the road

This afternoon.

A Special Meeting on the Liffey Cycle Route is taking place in Dublin City Hall, with Brendan O’Brien, head of technical services in Dublin City Council’s traffic department, currently talking through the proposed route.

His presentation has, so far, included the following:

The meeting can be watched live here.

UPDATE:

Dublin Cycling tweetz:

This morning’s collision is the third such incident in the past two months in which a person cycling on Dublin’s Quays has been seriously injured. How many more people will be maimed or killed before a safe, segregated Liffey Cycle Route is built?

Cyclist seriously injured after being struck by lorry in Dublin city centre (Independent.ie)

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

Screen Shot 2015-02-06 at 08.07.29

Ormond Quay Lower, Dublin 1

Cian Ginty, of Irish Cycle, writes:

Four options for a segregated two-way cycle route along the quays in Dublin City are expected to be made public next week and public consultation is due to start on the preferred route along the River Liffey next month.

IrishCycle.com understands that 12 options for the project have been narrowed down to 4 options — these are expected to be presented to Dublin City Council commities this month, including the traffic and transport commitie, which is due to take place next Wednesday.
…
One of a number of options for a two-way cycle route on the north quays is seen as the most feasible route design due a number of issues, including more daylight on the north quays and major pinch points on the south quays which cannot be bypassed.

An insight into the details of the cycle route was given last October when an outline of the plan to extend the Croppies Acre memorial park, at the front of Collins Barracks, out onto the riverside. The plan would allow for a car-free public park at the river side and two-way walking and cycle route along a central section of the north quays. That outline shows how buses could be moved off the north quays between Parkgate Street and Church Street.

Details of Liffey Cycle route set to be made public (irishcycle.com)

H/T Cathal MacCoille

Pic: Google Maps