Pedal Power - Labour's 10 point plan for promoting safer cycling
Issued : Saturday 21 April, 2007
Statement by Roisin Shortall TD
Minister of State, Department of Health with responsibility for Primary Care
There has been a downward trend in cycling numbers in Ireland for many years. In fact more teenage girls drive to school than cycle to school. So is it time to give up on cycling or is there anything we can do to save the cyclist from extinction? The Labour Party believes that all is not lost and if elected we will aim to double the number of cyclists in our cities within the next five years.
But why promote cycling? For many journeys in our cities, cycling is the fastest and most efficient way of getting around; a significant shift towards cycling will help our environment; and cycling has huge health benefits - cyclists have a life expectancy several years ahead of non-cyclists. How will we increase the numbers cycling? We need to learn lessons from other countries where cycling is flourishing. The obvious examples of Copenhagen and Amsterdam have much to teach us, but of more interest to us are cities like London and Brussels where cycling is thriving after many years in the doldrums. Our neighbours have shown us that we must reassure cyclists and potential cyclists that it is safe to cycle. The good news is that it has never been safer to cycle. As traffic levels rise, average car speeds fall – making for a safer environment. The removal of HGVs from the city centre of Dublin has made our capital a much safer environment. The Labour Party has pursued a very active pro-cycling policy in Dublin in recent years and these efforts are paying off, with a 23% increase in the number of cyclists in the Capital between 2004 and 2006. But we must also go further and make cycling even safer – and for every part of the country. The specific measures Labour in Government will take to promote cycling are outlined below.
1. Cycling Officers
Labour will appoint Cycling Officers in each Local Authority to promote cycling and encourage greater cycling numbers by providing safer cycling routes. In some cases this role could be accommodated in the Road Safety Officer role but a dedicated cycling officer will be appointed to each of the larger towns and Cities. Cycling needs a dedicated officer to promote, educate and progress cycling initiatives at local level. Equally, at national level, Labour will ensure that a cycling unit is created in the Department of Transport. Amazingly, there is no one civil servant who’s job is dedicated to cycling policy. Of course, cycling needs to be promoted by several key individuals as part of their day to day job. For that reason, Labour will require all local authorities to adopt a cycling strategy as an integral part of their development plan, with explicit targets, review processes, actions, budget, and time-frames.
2. Cycling Safety
Labour will set up a specific fund for the provision of cycle lanes. Too often funding for cycle lanes is tied up as part of larger road projects. This hampers their speedy provision. Labour will take measures to promote the maintenance of cycle tracks to a high standard. We will introduce new penalties for utility/construction companies and local authorities who fail to adequately and promptly reinstate cycle tracks and roads in general. We will extend the functions of the Road Safety Authority so that a referral service is provided by them to tackle local authorities on this issue. Labour will ensure that cycling is incorporated as a mainstream consideration in road design. We will ensure that road design standards are reviewed and amended to better accommodate cycling. In particular, we will ensure that there is a review of the width of bus lanes, drainage design, the operation of speed cushions and other traffic calming measures, the possibility of using two-way cycling flow on one way streets, and how cyclists might better share road space with trams. Labour will immediately review the law which currently compels, in most circumstances, a cyclist to use a cycle lane where one is provided. Labour will introduce new laws requiring cyclists to wear high visibility clothing and to have adequate lighting during hours of dusk and darkness, the specific hours to be set down by regulation. We will also provide the Gardaí with the power to seize a bicycle where the cyclist does not comply. Labour will ensure that there is a rigorous enforcement of illegal parking in cycle lanes by setting specific targets for Gardaí and local authority parking officers. We will also set specific targets for dangerous driving and various penalty point categories which impact on cycling safety. Labour will provide better information to the public on parking in mandatory and non-mandatory cycle lanes to ensure greater compliance with the law.
3. Cycling to Work
Labour will seek to replicate the equivalent of Quality Bus Corridors for cyclists by promoting dedicated commuter cycling routes. Labour will work to better accommodate cycling on rail commuter services. We will ensure through Memoranda of Understanding that the public rail companies have a specific policy on accommodating bicycles at their stations and on their services and where possible, that space is provided to accommodate bicycles. We will also seek to promote bike hire at key stations where a demand can be identified. Labour, through changes to the planning rules, will require all major employers to provide cycle stands and showering facilities in order to encourage their staff to cycle, and we will encourage the retro-fitting of such facilities.
4. Cycling to School
The importance of promoting cycling at a young age is vital for its long-term viability as a commuting option. The two biggest deterrents to cycling to school are the general safety concerns and the lack of physical parking facilities. Many schools are poorly equipped to accommodate the locking and storing of bicycles. Labour will provide a capital fund to allow schools provide cycle stands and sheds. Labour will build on the current DTO work on identifying and developing safe cycle routes to schools. Specifically, we will introduce school travel planning nationwide and incorporate cycling as a major focus of this. As part of this, we will ensure that school authorities, parents and pupils along with the Cycling Officer are an integral part of the review and decision making process.
5. Cycling for Pleasure I
n Dublin, Labour will quickly complete the S2S cycle route from Sutton to Sandycove. We will also develop a new cycle-route along both sides of the Liffey quays. We will also encourage other local authorities to come forward with similar initiatives.
6. Cycling and other road users
Currently, penalty points can be applied to motorists if they enter a yellow box. However, entry in an "Advanced Stop Line" at junctions is not a specific penalty point offence. This line is the space between the red light and the stop line for vehicles and is reserved for cyclists to accommodate their safe negotiation of junctions. It's important as the majority (in the UK, 75%) of accidents involving cyclists occur at junctions. Labour proposes to apply a penalty point where a driver substantially encroaches or blocks the occupation by a cyclist of the "Advanced Stop Line". Only 19 drivers have so far received penalty points for illegally driving on a cycle track. As outlined under section 2, we will set enforcement targets for Gardaí and ensure that driving and parking illegally on a cycle track is rigorously enforced. Labour will fully implement the outstanding provisions of Directive 2005/66/EC, which was supposed to have been fully transposed by August, 2006 in relation to the use of frontal protection systems on motor vehicles (bull bars).
7. Cycling and HGVs
Blind spots on Heavy Goods Vehicles contribute greatly to fatalities among pedestrians and cyclists, with one estimate putting the Irish death toll at 8 per year. The outgoing Government has delayed in introducing legislation requiring the retro-fitting of so-called cyclops mirrors as it awaits direction from Europe. This is despite strong support from the industry for the measure. In Government, Labour will introduce legislation to ensure that all Irish registered vehicles of any age are fitted with cyclops mirrors and we won't wait for direction from Europe. As a matter of policy, Labour will support any local authority which seeks to curb the presence of HGVs in built-up areas and reduce the number of potential conflicts with cyclists.
8. Cycling Promotion
Labour in Government, will embark on a promotion campaign on the social and personal benefits of cycling. We will arrange for the production and dissemination of quality public information to all road users on the rules of the road, and their rights and responsibilities in relation to cyclists and cycling infrastructure.
9. Cycling Tourism
Labour will pursue the possibility of holding an annual Cycling Marathon similar to Zurich and Cape Town. In addition to attracting cycling tourists to the country, this would put a very strong focus on cycling and would generate interest in cycling as a sport and as a mode of transport. We will also develop a national cycleway network details of which will be included in promotional material from the tourism industry.
10. Cycling Information
We will include a specific module on cycling in the Road Safety programmes provided for schools and we will produce a booklet on the rules of the road for cyclists and on safe cycling practice, aimed specifically at school children. Labour will require all local authorities to include as part of their Development Plan a map of all cycling routes/tracks in their administrative area, marking where possible recommended routes, Quality Cycling Routes for commuters, bicycle parking stands, bicycle shops and other relevant amenities and services. We will improve signage in tandem with the development of commuting and leisure routes. Labour will require all local authorities to ensure that the retro-fitting of bicycle stands at all shopping precincts is an objective to be achieved through planning conditions and direct local authority provision.
