COMMENT: It’s time to protect Dublin’s cyclists

A COLLEAGUE of mine reckoned he narrowly avoided death three times in the space of 25 minutes last week. It’s all part of the high-risk game of Russian Roulette being played on a daily basis by Dublin cyclists. 

There were numerous hazards which led to his near-demise; the total disregard of cyclists’ safety by motorists being chief among them. At one stage he was admonished by a taxi driver who had just run a red light and then he almost came a cropper when his trusty bike skidded on wet Luas tracks.

In and around College Green was an area of the city he found particularly hazardous; an inhospitable place for cyclists who really need their wits about them to avoid having an accident.

Last month saw the tragic death of a young cyclist in Dublin, bringing to six the number of bike-related fatalities so far this year. Worryingly, 2017 was the deadliest year for people who cycle in Ireland, with 15 deaths – the highest in 10 years.

The latest tragedy prompted a silent demonstration outside the gates of Leinster House recently, which was organised by I BIKE Dublin and the Dublin Cycling Campaign. ‘Stop Killing Cyclists’ was the protesters’ simple message.

The campaign is calling on the Government to invest in safer streets as a matter of urgency. It wants to see a minimum of 10 percent of the transport budget allocated for safe cycling and walking, given that 14 pedestrians have already lost their lives this year. 

In contrast, it was noted that 2017 had the lowest number of fatalities for people in motorised vehicles in over a decade.

Another demand is the better design of cycling and walking infrastructure, especially at junctions where people are forced to interact with motorists.

Dr Paul Corcoran, chair of the Dublin Cycling Campaign, said: “The streets should be there to facilitate movement of all people safely. That means those walking, cycling, using public transport or driving. However, the number of people who have been killed while cycling has been growing, and this is a massive concern for us.”

Fianna Fáil TD Jim O’Callaghan, himself a keen cyclist, has also rowed in on the debate. He said that in light of the recent fatality, the Department of Transport must urgently take steps to improve safety for cyclists in Dublin.

 “Approximately 95,000 people cycle in Dublin each day,” Deputy O’Callaghan said. “I cycle around the city almost daily and it is a very efficient and environmentally friendly way of commuting, but I cannot say it is safe. The biggest threat to cyclists is posed by the close proximity of very large vehicles. To diminish that threat, we must segregate and protect cyclists from large vehicles.”