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Green light for cycling engineer post

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  • 28-04-2008 3:38pm
    #1
    markpb
    Registered Users Posts: 9,250 ✭✭✭


    RTE wrote:
    Green light for cycling engineer post
    Monday, 28 April 2008 15:07

    Minister for the Environment John Gormley has dropped his opposition to a dedicated cycling engineer for Dublin City Council.

    The Green Party Minister was criticised after he refused to sanction the full-time post, which mainly involves overseeing the development of cycle lanes.

    However, today the council's transport committee chairman, Sean Kenny, announced that the post is to be advertised.

    linky

    I heard rumours of a cycling engineer before but this is the first I heard about Gormley blocking it. I suspect there's more to it than what RTE are saying, I doubt he'd have a problem with the position per se and it's none of his business who DCC hire. Perhaps he, rightly, felt that all the road traffic engineers should be familiar with designing decent cycle lanes?


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    #2
    cyclopath2001
    Closed Accounts Posts: 3,359 ✭✭✭cyclopath2001


    markpb wrote: »
    linky

    I heard rumours of a cycling engineer before but this is the first I heard about Gormley blocking it. I suspect there's more to it than what RTE are saying, I doubt he'd have a problem with the position per se and it's none of his business who DCC hire. Perhaps he, rightly, felt that all the road traffic engineers should be familiar with designing decent cycle lanes?
    The job's a 'poison chalice'. It's clear from DCC's poor track record that expertese in Cycling is not really the problem. Any engineer should at least be able make sure correct road signs are used and policies set to ensure road markings are properly maintained and repairs properly made.


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    #3
    Victor
    Registered Users Posts: 78,245 ✭✭✭✭Victor


    I suspect the objection was financial, not ministerial.

    Note it is the Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government, so they do have a say.
    cyclopath2001 wrote: »
    Any engineer should at least be able make sure correct road signs are used and policies set to ensure road markings are properly maintained and repairs properly made.
    Realise that they are Roads Engineers and that is all they understand - "Ah sure its grand" as they look out the window of their 4x4.


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    #4
    cyclopath2001
    Closed Accounts Posts: 3,359 ✭✭✭cyclopath2001


    Victor wrote: »
    Realise that they are Roads Engineers and that is all they understand - "Ah sure its grand" as they look out the window of their 4x4.
    I've always considered engineering to be a discipline. Standards are set, specifications drawn up, lots of box ticking to make sure every detail is right. That's how bridges get built and mostly don't collapse.

    Maybe the neglect of the cycle tracks was part of a gambit to wrangle another post out of the government?


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    #5
    Johnny Jukebox
    Registered Users Posts: 655 ✭✭✭Johnny Jukebox


    I wonder will this position mandate that the successful candidate cycle to and from work ?

    Nothing annoys me more than people not eating their own dogfood - IE executives who dont take the train, DB workers who wont take the bus and so on... and yeah, I've heard all the blah blah blah about time and efficiency, but if you dont have the integrity to use a product that you are being reimbursed to provide, then you're a fraud.


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