Cyclist group says cycle lanes are too narrow

Many of the marked and signposted cycle lanes which have been developed in Dublin in recent years are too narrow, they share road space with overtaking buses and are sub-standard, according to international best practice.

That is the view of the Dublin Cycling Campaign, which has called for an independent audit of the safety of the city's cycling lanes and other facilities following the rise to 22 in the number of cyclists killed in the city in the last seven years.

The campaign has also called for a more pro-active approach by gardaí to tackling dangerous driving; improved safety training for drivers of heavy goods vehicles and buses; and "at a minimum" training for all students.

Chairman of the campaign Dr Mike McKillen said the vast majority of cyclists killed were due to collisions with large vehicles. The statistics had to be assessed "in the light of the relatively low and declining numbers of cyclists" on the roads.

He said the Dublin Transportation Office and the city council "makes much" of its development of bus and cycle lanes. However, "what drivers and cyclists are not told is that may sectors of this infrastructure, ostensibly aimed at making life safer and easier for cyclists, is in fact sub-standard by international design norms and best practice".