Overall the Swords Core Bus Corridor (CBC) is good-quality, that could be a high-quality route with a number of changes. The route goes from outside Swords village, past the airport, through Santry and Drumcondra to Dorset Street. If the current proposals were built today it would be a large improvement on what exists today. However, it falls short of the standards in the NTA’s own National Cycle Manual. We need your help to create a cycle route suitable for people of all ages and abilities.

The positives first. The proposals would:

• Add 23 new pedestrian crossings
• Deliver 12km of good quality cycle track from Swords to the City Centre
• Remove four slip lanes (though eleven retained)
• Remove a general traffic lane on Dorset Street in order to make more space for pedestrians and cyclists
• Include 28 cycle bypasses of the 57 bus stops (more work needed here)

However, the Dublin Cycling Campaign has identified serious issues along the route.

Many of the junction designs are completely unsafe. They include orphaned cycle lanes with a traffic lane on either sides. This leaves cyclists over-exposed to motor vehicles turning across a painted cycle lane, which are up to 80m long. This design is banned by the National Cycle Manual. For the larger junctions the NTA should use a design that fully segregates cyclists from traffic.

On roads like the Swords Road and the Swords Bypass (N50), the NTA’s National Cycle Manual requires a buffer space between the cycle track and the road, normally a grass verge. This increases safety and comfort levels for cyclists.

Less than 50% of the bus stops have bus stop bypasses. There are many bus stops that could easily be converted to bypasses. Bus stop bypasses are required by the National Cycle Manual given the high number of buses. Without bus stop bypasses cyclists and buses mix, which isn’t safe.

At Santry the NTA is proposing to divert cyclists. This diversion is quiet good for cyclists heading to the city. However, it leaves cyclists in the Santry area with few safe options for local trips. The NTA needs to better analyse how local cycling trips can be facilitated near Santry.

The Dublin Cycling Campaign has identified many other issues, which are included in our draft submission linked at the end.

We need you to make a submission to the NTA. Otherwise these proposed concept designs could quickly become the final design. A submission is a short piece on how the NTA should change their proposals.

Some advice for writing a useful submission:

• Keep it short and personal
• Tell the NTA why this Core Bus Corridor affect you. Do you live nearby or cycle this route often? Mention that.
• Tell the NTA why you want to see changes. For example, if the junctions were safer would you let your kids cycle to school?
• Describe some of the cycle trips you take along this route
• Include some of the Dublin Cycling Campaign’s key issues

Our key issues:

• Enabling cycling for all ages and all abilities should be the aim
• The junctions should segregate cyclists instead of mixing them with traffic
• A buffer zone between the cycle track and the road should be added
• Local cyclist movements near Santry need to be better considered
• All bus stops should have cycle bypasses
• Extend the cycle route into Swords village instead of leaving a missing link

Make a Submission

Now that you’ve made your submission please spread the word to your friends and family. Without many voices demanding better cycle facilities the NTA will build the current proposals.

The NTA are holding two public information events on this route that might be of interest:

• Carnegie Court Hotel, Swords - Friday 11th January 2019, 3pm-8pm
• Gresham Hotel, Upper O’Connell Street - Thursday, 17th January 2019, 2pm-8pm

If you want to be kept up-to-date on BusConnects subscribe to our BusConnects email newsletter. We’ll email you updates on the corridors your interested in.