Fianna Fáil TD for Dublin West, Deputy Jack Chambers has welcomed the latest traffic count by Dublin City Council, which showed that the numbers of people cycling into Dublin city has more than doubled over the last decade.
“These numbers show the great progress the city has made in recent years encouraging people to leave their cars at home, and to walk, cycle or take public transport to work. Around two thirds of all journeys into the city centre were made this way; which is a record number for the city.
“I am particularly encouraged by the figures which show that cycling has more than doubled over the last decade. This is a healthy, environmentally friendly way of travelling which must continue to be supported. Fianna Fáil supports the extension of cycle lanes and the expansion of the Dublin Bikes scheme into the suburbs of Dublin and the other Dublin local authority areas; Fingal, South Dublin and Dun Laoghaire-Rathdown.
“I have tabled a parliamentary question to the Transport Minister to ask him about the initiatives he is taking to promote safer cycling and to inform cyclists of the newly introduced penalty system for dangerous cycling. The issue of safety for cyclists is one I regularly have constituents contact me about.
“Dangerous traffic and poor quality cycle lanes discourages the use of cycling. Major infrastructural initiatives constructed when Fianna Fáil we’re last in power; such the Dublin Port Tunnel and the Luas network have helped relieve congestion in Dublin. The massive reduction in the number of Heavy Goods Vehicles (HGVs) from the city’s streets due to the Port Tunnel development has no doubt helped encourage cycling.
“Fianna Fáil wants the Minister for Transport to improve cycling infrastructure over the course of the Dáil so that the doubling in cyclist numbers we have seen over the last decade can be repeated in the coming decade,” concluded Deputy Chambers.