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Political Action Thread

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    #32
    CheGuedara
    Registered Users Posts: 2,030 ✭✭✭CheGuedara


    Finally got a reply to my query re. repealing mandatory cycle lane use today, only four months after emailing. Pretty much a copy of the reply Dandelion6 got.

    No answer to a query of introducing minimum safe overtake distances but getting an email is about as much as one can hope to get from the Government at the mo without being taxed, charged, levied or otherwise wallet r@ped...
    Mr Darth Dempsey wrote:
    Dear CheGuedara,

    I refer further to your query in relation to mandatory cycle lanes.

    The removal of the requirement to use cycle lanes where provided is one of the undertakings of the National Cycle Policy Framework. My Department is currently awaiting a response from An Garda Síochána in order to finalise some safety aspects of the proposal. Subject to their response I hope to make the necessary amending Regulations by early 2011.

    Yours sincerely,

    Noel Dempsey

    So what apparently needs to happen is somone in the Gardai needs to answer an email or two from Darth, and then we have to hope that the regulation required to change the law is put into play before whatever election comes around...


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    #33
    petethedrummer
    Registered Users Posts: 7,604 ✭✭✭petethedrummer


    actually i got the same response a few weeks ago, but forgot about it! He must like me better.


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    #34
    CheGuedara
    Registered Users Posts: 2,030 ✭✭✭CheGuedara


    I figure he just got stuck into his much ignored email inbox before he got labelled a tratior by a frustrated ignored member of the public and had to replace his windows again...


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    #35
    petethedrummer
    Registered Users Posts: 7,604 ✭✭✭petethedrummer


    CheGuedara wrote: »
    I figure he just got stuck into his much ignored email inbox before he got labelled a tratior by a frustrated ignored member of the public and had to replace his windows again...
    I wonder who it is from the Gardai that is dealing with this. I might write back and ask.


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    #36
    CheGuedara
    Registered Users Posts: 2,030 ✭✭✭CheGuedara


    petethedrummer wrote: »
    I wonder who it is from the Gardai that is dealing with this. I might write back and ask.

    There's a few members in the Club - might ask around and see if they might have any idea/contacts that could be followed up on


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    #37
    tomasrojo
    Registered Users Posts: 11,753 ✭✭✭✭tomasrojo


    CheGuedara wrote: »
    I figure he just got stuck into his much ignored email inbox before he got labelled a tratior by a frustrated ignored member of the public and had to replace his windows again...
    When I saw that story, I regretted a little that it wasn't the offices of the Minister for Education that had been daubed with the word 'Tratiors!'. At least it would have been an amusing irony.


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    #38
    Jawgap
    Closed Accounts Posts: 20,297 ✭✭✭✭Jawgap


    I think with the election looming you can forget about this for at least 9 to 12 months.

    Like all other SIs it will likely be parked until the new minister is appointed, and by the time they sort out the ministers of state and everyone gets to grips with their briefs (ooh-aah missus!!) it'll be up against the summer recess before they're ready to start doing some actual governing.


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    #39
    Lumen
    Registered Users Posts: 31,037 ✭✭✭✭Lumen


    Jawgap wrote: »
    I think with the election looming you can forget about this for at least 9 to 12 months.

    Like all other SIs it will likely be parked until the new minister is appointed, and by the time they sort out the ministers of state and everyone gets to grips with their briefs (ooh-aah missus!!) it'll be up against the summer recess before they're ready to start doing some actual governing.

    And the rest. I'm going straight to Angela Merkel. Cut out the middleidiots.


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    #40
    Jawgap
    Closed Accounts Posts: 20,297 ✭✭✭✭Jawgap


    tomasrojo wrote: »
    When I saw that story, I regretted a little that it wasn't the offices of the Minister for Education that had been daubed with the word 'Tratiors!'. At least it would have been an amusing irony.

    I think irony got a good outing in the Department of Education when Calamity Coughlan got appointed. Really, is the best person for that job someone who......

    .......thinks Einstein developed a theory of evolution.....

    .......referred to the Greens as "na glasrai" (that's vegetables for our UK audience)

    ......thinks the US is heavily unionised.......

    .....forgot about a cabinet meeting she had presided over....

    .....got confused over the words "budget" and "election".....


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    #41
    Dandelion6
    Registered Users Posts: 1,405 ✭✭✭Dandelion6


    Jawgap wrote: »
    .......referred to the Greens as "na glasrai" (that's vegetables for our UK audience)

    In fairness I think she was on to something with that one.


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    #42
    tomasrojo
    Registered Users Posts: 11,753 ✭✭✭✭tomasrojo


    So farewell Noel Dempsey. I guess we're stuck with mandatory use. At least it's almost never enforced.

    See you all on the red bit of the footpad!


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    #43
    Jawgap
    Closed Accounts Posts: 20,297 ✭✭✭✭Jawgap


    tomasrojo wrote: »
    So farewell Noel Dempsey. I guess we're stuck with mandatory use. At least it's almost never enforced.

    See you all on the red bit of the footpad!

    I'm sure Pat Scary Carey, our new Minister for Transport, will sort it out.....


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    #44
    dited
    Registered Users Posts: 257 ✭✭dited


    tomasrojo wrote: »
    At least it's almost never enforced.

    Except by bus drivers, evidently ...


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    #45
    CheGuedara
    Registered Users Posts: 2,030 ✭✭✭CheGuedara


    Well Darth Dempsey's clearing out and Mr Varadkar is in.

    Email sent to him this evening (they're working on our euro, we should make them earn it so no honeymoon period for this lot!) to enquire if he will repeal the mandatory cycle lane use legislation and investigate introduction of a safe overtake law given the abject failure of his predecessor to get the finger out before it came time to scuttle into retirement.

    Will post an update if anything comes of it.


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    #46
    Dandelion6
    Registered Users Posts: 1,405 ✭✭✭Dandelion6


    Dáil Question No: 26
    To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport his plans to remove the mandatory use requirement for cycle lanes; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
    - Seán Crowe. (Nominated by: Dessie Ellis).

    For ORAL answer on Wednesday, 20th April, 2011.

    Answered by the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport
    Leo Varadkar
    REPLY

    The removal of the requirement to use cycle lanes where provided is one of the undertakings in the National Cycle Policy Framework. Subject to finalising some safety aspects of the proposal, I hope to make the necessary amending Regulations later in the year.


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    #47
    RobFowl
    Moderators, Science, Health & Environment Moderators Posts: 11,667 Mod ✭✭✭✭RobFowl


    Dandelion6 wrote: »
    Dáil Question No: 26
    To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport his plans to remove the mandatory use requirement for cycle lanes; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
    - Seán Crowe. (Nominated by: Dessie Ellis).

    For ORAL answer on Wednesday, 20th April, 2011.

    Answered by the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport
    Leo Varadkar
    REPLY

    The removal of the requirement to use cycle lanes where provided is one of the undertakings in the National Cycle Policy Framework. Subject to finalising some safety aspects of the proposal, I hope to make the necessary amending Regulations later in the year.

    Common sense in Dail shocker ........


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    #48
    thebouldwhacker
    Registered Users Posts: 3,565 ✭✭✭thebouldwhacker


    Will they still be protected from cars parking or driving on?


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    #49
    AstraMonti
    Registered Users Posts: 5,718 ✭✭✭AstraMonti


    thebouldwhacker wrote: »
    Will they still be protected from cars parking or driving on?

    Now you're just asking too much dude!


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    #50
    thebouldwhacker
    Registered Users Posts: 3,565 ✭✭✭thebouldwhacker


    That just means they are taking away our cycle lanes for the benefit of cars!!! A complete injustice, someone should start a political action thread to stop this abuse of power designed to promote the car and disincentivise people from cycling!!!





    :pac:


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    #51
    enas
    Registered Users Posts: 585 ✭✭✭enas


    thebouldwhacker wrote: »
    That just means they are taking away our cycle lanes for the benefit of cars!!! A complete injustice, someone should start a political action thread to stop this abuse of power designed to promote the car and disincentivise people from cycling!!!

    Is this sarcastic? If not, then how did you come to understand this?


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    #52
    tomasrojo
    Registered Users Posts: 11,753 ✭✭✭✭tomasrojo


    I think the smiley at the end makes it sarcasm.

    It's a positive statement from Varadkar, but it is almost identical to the reply given on more than one occasion by Noel Dempsey, who in the end never got around to making the change.


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    #53
    enas
    Registered Users Posts: 585 ✭✭✭enas


    tomasrojo wrote: »
    I think the smiley at the end makes it sarcasm.

    My apologies, it must not be my day :) In my defence, the smiley is a bit far from the text, it was too much effort for me :pac:


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    #54
    monument
    Moderators, Motoring & Transport Moderators Posts: 14,073 Mod ✭✭✭✭monument


    Subject to finalising some safety aspects of the proposal, I hope to make the necessary amending Regulations later in the year.

    That has changed very little since December 2009 when the then minister said he would revoke mandatory use subject to a safety review.

    That's very slow progress for something which just requires a statutory instrument to be removed or changed. All it needs then is the minister's consent.

    It's not like cyclists don't already have to leave cycle lanes all the time for different reasons (stopped cars and buses, parked cars, massive pot holes, cycle lanes running into dead ends etc etc).


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    #55
    petethedrummer
    Registered Users Posts: 7,604 ✭✭✭petethedrummer


    monument wrote: »
    That's very slow progress for something which just requires a statutory instrument to be removed or changed. All it needs then is the minister's consent.
    I'm going to invite Leo for a cycle. Once he sees how crap they are it should speed him up.


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    #56
    petethedrummer
    Registered Users Posts: 7,604 ✭✭✭petethedrummer


    Minister Varadkar,

    The last government was in favour of abolishing the Mandatory Cycle Lane Use law but did not get round to abolishing it. Where does your government stand on this issue?

    And have you endorsed the National Cycling Framework document created by the last government?

    Regards,
    Petey
    Dear Mr thedrummer

    My Department is currently working on a comprehensive overhaul of regulations relating to traffic signage. This is a very large task, but I expect to introduce the revised regulations during the course of this year. As part of this change, I will indeed be removing the current mandatory requirement to use with-flow cycle lanes where provided. However, I propose to retain the mandatory requirement to use contra-flow cycle tracks and cycle tracks in pedestrianized zones, in the interests of safety. Mandatory use of a cycle track would be essential in those two situations. Obviously we could not have a situation where a cyclist could opt not to use a contra-flow cycle track and instead drive in the traffic lane against on-coming traffic or that a cyclist could opt not to use a cycle track in a pedestrianized zone and instead weave in and out between pedestrians.

    In addition, we have made clear in our Programme for Government that we will continue to invest in the National Cycle Policy. We have not made any alteration to the existing National Cycle Policy Framework.

    Your sincerely,
    Leo Varadkar TD


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    #57
    monument
    Moderators, Motoring & Transport Moderators Posts: 14,073 Mod ✭✭✭✭monument


    The problem is the new regulations are also due to back the latest traffic signs manual. So, the question is will the new regulations also back the no cycling sign, the with-flow bus lanes signs without a bicycle in them, and the shared use signs in the traffic signs manual?

    If so, it's getting rid of mandatory use and bringing it in the back door in the one go!


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    #58
    seamus
    Registered Users Posts: 68,317 ✭✭✭✭seamus


    Cycle tracks in pedestrianised zones?

    Do any such things exist except for the 20m on St. Stephen's Green west?


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    #59
    enas
    Registered Users Posts: 585 ✭✭✭enas


    petethedrummer wrote: »
    Obviously we could not have a situation where a cyclist could opt not to use a contra-flow cycle track and instead drive in the traffic lane against on-coming traffic

    Isn't that already forbidden by existing law, be it a cycle track or any other lane for that matter (to use the opposite lane other than when overtaking when there's a broken line)? Or is it that cycle tracks, whether with-flow or contra-flow don't count as normal lanes and need specific regulations? That sounds a bit odd to me...


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    #60
    petethedrummer
    Registered Users Posts: 7,604 ✭✭✭petethedrummer


    Can we keep the debate to another thread? See the OP.


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    #61
    nomdeboardie
    Registered Users Posts: 2,017 ✭✭✭nomdeboardie


    Spurred by this post describing a Garda stop for failing to use a "cycle track", and fearing an incipient standoff with the cops myself, I was spurred to finally send a message to Varadkar. For what's it's worth :rolleyes::rolleyes::rolleyes:. Still, the more messages he/ his minions get the more apparent the problem. (For my previous query to the Dept, see here.)
    [address, date] ...

    Dear Dr. Varadkar

    I would like to know when the mandatory use regulation for cycle lanes is to be revoked.

    Many, if not most, off-road paths are highly unsuitable, for a variety of reasons, but cyclists are being stopped by Gardai if they use the adjacent road to bypass the problematic stretches. We risk being criminalised for seeking to cycle safely and efficiently on routes whose main carriageways were formerly open to bicycle use. I believe that the viability of bicycle travel should not be sacrificed for the convenience of motor traffic, and I write this as both a motorist and a cyclist.

    I am currently preparing a detailed presentation on the problems of one such path for Dun Laoghaire Rathdown County Council, in response to their invitation for feedback on their proposed cycle network plans.

    Yours faithfully, ...etc


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