Promotion of cycling in urban areas to be initiated

Further initiatives to promote travel by bicycle in Dublin and other Irish cities will be introduced shortly, a major international conference on the promotion of cycling has been told.

Minister of State for Transport Ivor Callely told the Velo-City conference he was determined to "bring to fruition" initiatives to promote cycling which could alleviate traffic problems in major cities, particularly when these were supported by the completion of major infrastructural projects such as Luas or the Dublin Port Tunnel.

"Pedal power" had a fundamental role to play in the development of a seamless integrated transport system, the Minister declared, although a "heavy emphasis" on safety was needed.

However, yesterday's opening of the conference, attended by more than 500 delegates from 38 countries, was also marked by criticism of the Government's failure to promote safe cycling.

Green Party TD Eamon Ryan blamed "a lack of political will" and worsening conditions on the roads for the decline in cycling in recent decades.

He said many cycle lanes were badly designed, no local authority had yet introduced a 30km/h speed limit on urban streets and most trucks would still be able to use Dublin streets even after the port tunnel opens.

"Dublin, with its flat topography and mild climate, could and should have the same cycling population as Copenhagen and Amsterdam.

"But instead, cycling numbers have halved over the last 20 years and there was a further 15 per cent fall in the number of cyclists crossing the canal cordon last year," Mr Ryan said.

David Maher, Dublin Cycling Campaign PRO, attributed the halving of cycling numbers in the past 20 years to "a transport policy that is totally car-centred to the exclusion of all other modes of transport.

"Also, the dismal failure of the Government and gardaí to effectively tackle the road safety issue is a major problem."

More than 150 papers on a variety of cycling issues will be presented during the four-day conference, which Dublin is hosting for the first time. Minister for Transport Martin Cullen and EU transport commissioner Jacques Barrot will address the conference later in the week.

Hundreds of conference participants and other cyclists last night took part in a "fun cycle" through Dublin city centre to mark the start of the conference.