This afternoon, Dublin City Council’s Strategic Policy Committee on Transport will be debating the latest Option 7 proposal on the proposed Liffey Cycle Route. Dublin Cycling Campaign are represented on that committee by Derek Peppard who will be voicing our support for the latest design option for this route.

Dublin Cycling Campaign (DCC) have been involved in discussions on the route right through from its initial consideration at a workshop in 2011. It has been a tortuous process to arrive at this latest iteration of the proposal, involving all stakeholders throughout the City, a public consultation process, and major heritage objections. DCC strongly objected to the Option 6 proposal, which rerouted cyclists off the river corridor between Church St and Heuston. This proposal would have increased the journey length for cyclists, and would have increased the number of potential conflict points. DCC argued these issues in a paper to Dublin City Council, attached. As can be seen in the attached Council’s report on the latest option DCC’s points were upheld, and the cycle route was returned to this section of the Quays.

The present proposal is not a simple solution, and no doubt private motor vehicle users in particular will need to be convinced that the proposed vehicle routes through the North City/Smithfield area will work. In the long term we in the Campaign realise that this iconic Liffey Cycle Route will be a major game changer in relation to the future of Dublin City Centre, and the priorities given to people, as opposed to vehicle, movement. This proposal is putting sustainable transport in the priority position, and that’s how it should be. Instead of just studying what other cities throughout Europe have long realised, we are hopefully really starting to do what needs to be done for the sustainable future of our city!