Cycleways and local democracy

Sir, – Your article "Dún Laoghaire project could show the way forward for cycleways" (News, February 19th) was met with a roll of the eyes and frustration by many residents in Blackrock and Dún Laoghaire.

The Dún Laoghaire coastal bike path was implemented without consultation and its continued existence relies on Covid emergency measures, the legitimacy of which must now be called into question.

The coastal bike route is heavily used on sunny Saturday and Sunday afternoons but otherwise remains largely empty.

Meantime, the traffic that used to frequent the heavily used coast road has been pushed onto the surrounding areas.

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“Engage early and often”, a quote from Robert Burns, who was at the time the council’s director of infrastructure, was the last line from your article. Dún Laoghaire Rathdown council promised substantive measures would be taken to reduce the traffic impact on surrounding areas, and four weeks was the time requested to come up with the plan.

Local residents are still waiting for this plan, 52 weeks on and counting.

No wonder similar schemes are met with such opposition. – Yours, etc,

PAUL McCARTHY,

Blackrock,

Co Dublin.