Dublin cyclists take up challenge

Dublin People 06 May 2016
The cyclists gather for the launch.

MEMBERS of the Dublin Cycling Campaign set off along the Grand Canal on Sunday May 1 to launch the Dublin leg of the 2016 European Cycling Challenge.

The ‘Challenge’, which is open to citizens across Europe, aims to determine which European city cycles the most by tracking cyclists across the continent using the smartphone app ‘Cycling365’.

The app, which is available for both iPhone and Android devices, uses electronically generated heat-maps to determine how far users have travelled while cycling through participating cities.

Polish city Gdansk is the current competition leader but Cyclist.ie chairperson, Colm Ryder, believes Dublin has what it takes to be crowned Europe’s most active cycling city.

“The challenge is promoted by a group from Bologna University, they’ve been doing it for a number of years now and this is the second time Dublin has entered the competition,” Ryder told Northside People.

“Dublin City was in it previously but this time it’s all of Dublin County as well. There’s already 600 people signed up to the App in Dublin and when you consider that there are over 10,000 cyclists a day coming into the city, then we could get that number much higher.”

While the Cycling365 app will largely be used by event organisers to determine which European city cycles the most, the built in heat-map technology will also allow the National Transport Authority (NTA) and local councils to determine which areas of Dublin have the largest concentration of cycle journeys.

Ryder has previously told Northside People that one of the biggest issues facing cyclists in Ireland is the lack of safe cycle routes, and that a lack of Government funding in providing routes has actually been detrimental to smart travel in Ireland.

That said, it’s Ryder’s hope that the feedback from Cycling365 will be taken on board by the NTA and councils and that the relevant information can be used to better plan cycling routes and paths in the city.

“First of all, there is a Greater Dublin Area Cycle Network and their study has been published by the NTA,” Ryder added. 

“It’s part of their overall transport strategy to develop that network as a safe cycling network. However, the heat-maps will give a good idea of where routes should be prioritised.

“If you have very high level usage on certain routes, well obviously they’re the ones you want to prioritise and put investment into because they’re the ones people are going to use.”

If you are unable to download the Cycling365 App but want to take part in the challenge, you can do so by registering at www.cyclingchallenge.eu/subscribe

REPORT: Jack O’Toole

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