John Lahart TD said more needs to be done to ensure the safety of cyclists using roads in and around the Capital. Recently, Fianna Fail launched its policy aimed at greatly increasing participation in cycling in Ireland. “As cycling has become more and more popular in the city, the situation for cyclists in Dublin continues to worsen. The Government’s has offered little or no support to cycling in the Capital, especially in recent years when State spending on cycling infrastructure has hit a new low,” Lahart said.
“As a result, Dublin’s cycling infrastructure remains dangerously weak. It’s little wonder why accidents and fatalities involving cyclists continue to occur on our streets so often. “We have come forward and proposed a number of measures to improve our existing cycling network to make it safer and more appealing to cycle on our cities roads.
“These include; the availability of physically segregated cycle lanes, the establishment of a Specialist Cycling Division within the National Transport Authority, rollout of ample bike storage facilities on public transport and near public transport hubs and the expansion of bike sharing schemes into Dublin suburbs.
He added, “Cyclists are forced to share bus lanes and cross dangerous intersections with insufficient distance from larger vehicles when commuting around the city.
“Increasing the safety of cycling is critical in order to allow more people to commute by bike safe in the knowledge that they are better protected.
“Strengthening the city’s cycling infrastructure needs to be pushed higher up this Government’s agenda. Fianna Fáil recognises that more attention and more resources are urgently required to ensure that there is sufficient infrastructure in place to protect cyclists; it’s about time this Government acknowledged the same.”
