Motorists on The Quays could be cut to one lane

23/06/2014

A proposed new two-way cycle lane on The Quays in Dublin city centre could see motorists cut down to one lane.

Dublin City Council – who aim to increase the number of people travelling to work by bicycle by 4% by 2020 - are planning to introduce the new arrangements on the busy north quays part of the city.

Council chief Owen Keegan admits the plans would lead to traffic disruption and Mike McKillen, chairman of cyclist.ie, has welcomed the proposal:  “What turns a lot of people off not trying cycling is their perception of fear of being on the road on a bike. I think Owen Keegan is correct. I’ll support him in what he tries to do. Why do people feel it’s their right to drive into our cities which are already congested?”

But the Director of Consumer affairs at AA Ireland, Conor Faughnan, says any plan would need to be properly thought out and to do more to help overall transport:

“It has to be properly designed - there's a lot more to a cycle lane than a tin of white paint and a stencil of a bicycle on the ground. The cycle lane has to be actually safe and secure, has to give cyclists priority at junctions, and enable them to flow - and I'm just not sure that this does any of those things.”