Council scrap €100m Liffey Cycle Route without consulting local councillors

Dublin City Council has been criticised after the €100m Liffey Cycle Route plan was scrapped without consulting local councillors.

The council said the landmark project “need not proceed in the manner in which it was originally envisaged”, and it will go ahead with “a less complex set of improvements”.

The Liffey Cycle Route was created in 2022 to deliver sustainable transport measures by reallocating road space.

“In line with this approach, additional cycling facilities have been provided along Eden Quay on the North Quays in 2023,” the council said.

“This was followed by the works to provide protected cycling facilities on Georges Quay, Burgh Quay and Aston Quay. These works commenced on site last month.

“A key objective of this plan is to reduce traffic in the city centre which will support the delivery of both the Active Travel Network and the bus priority measures.

“This plan will further measures for reallocating road space to sustainable ways of travel along the Quays.

“Arising from this, the Liffey Cycle route need not proceed in the manner in which it was originally envisaged.”

However, local Green Party councillor Janet Horner said she is “really frustrated by the decision” and is not happy with how the council dealt with the matter.

“While there is definitely a clear case for revising the previous plan, which had some serious flaws; when we signed off on this in 2019 it was on condition that the permanent scheme would be up and running by 2024,” she said.

“To cancel it without reverting to members is outrageous. This is a flagship project and the backbone of the rest of the cycling network for Dublin.

“We need to be crystal clear about how this route can be high quality and safe and not a piecemeal project that leaves some serious and dangerous pinch points along it,” she added.

Paul Norton, Cycling Ireland Participation Manager, also voiced his disappointment.

“It is disappointing to read that the plans for a continuous and segregated cycle path along the Quays is to be scrapped by Dublin City Council in favour of a less comprehensive set of changes,” he said.

“The Quays, both north and south of the Liffey, are an intimidating place to cycle and have been the scene of multiple serious collisions and even fatalities.

“Even as an experienced cyclist myself, cycling on the Quays is a stressful experience, so a continuous, connected, and segregated lane would have been massively beneficial.

“The number one reason for people not cycling is safety and the perception that cycling is too dangerous. Unfortunately, news like this doesn’t help.

“We hope that the less comprehensive set of changes take in safety and convenience as a priority for the users of the infrastructure,” he added.

Daithí Doolan, Sinn Féin Leader on Dublin City Council and European election candidate for Dublin, is happy about the recent announcement.

“As a cyclist, I’ve been cycling on the roads in Dublin for the last 30 years now. There have been huge improvements on standards and safety,” he said.

“We have separate cycle lanes now which is great, it’s positive. It contributes greatly to us having the lowest levels of fatalities in Europe. I think the respect and the protection of cyclists has improved.

“The original proposal of €100m for a separate cycle lane for Dublin was important for its day, but I do think DCC has improved and progressed since that plan was put on the table.

“The current plan, which is more integrated, cheaper and more effective, is to be welcomed.”

Neasa Hourigan highlighted “some concerns around the decision making by the council”.

“Perhaps surprisingly, I welcome the end of the original plan for the Quays in the hopes that we can design this section of the city in a better way,” she said.

“The original plan for the project was less than perfect from the perspective of pedestrians, moving them onto expensive boardwalks in order to maximise space for cars.

“I have some concerns around the decision making by the council on it, but I generally believe that a new set of proposals may be able to address some of the pinch points for cyclists and pedestrians to make the quays much safer and more pleasant.”

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