Getting the guards to keep cycle lanes clear

Ray Palmer

Has anybody managed to get the Guards to make sure cycle lanes are clear? Every morning cars sudden pull into the bus lane and then park in the cycle lane to let their kids out to school. Besides forcing cyclists into the bus lane on a downhill road you have to watch out for the idiots opening their car doors (which they do without looking)

Anyway to get the Guards to actually do their job and stop people blocking a major commuting route?

There is another one where there is paid metters on one side of the road so people park in the cycle lane on the other side of the road.

Kintarō Hattori

As nice as it would be to have clear cycle lanes Ray, it's just not going to happen. The Gardai have bigger fish to fry unfortunately. Remember a lot of cycle lanes are shared with buses and a lot have car spaces. The only ones that shouldn't have cars in them are cycle lanes with a continuous white line.

07Lapierre

Ray Palmer wrote: »

Has anybody managed to get the Guards to make sure cycle lanes are clear? Every morning cars sudden pull into the bus lane and then park in the cycle lane to let their kids out to school. Besides forcing cyclists into the bus lane on a downhill road you have to watch out for the idiots opening their car doors (which they do without looking)

Anyway to get the Guards to actually do their job and stop people blocking a major commuting route?

There is another one where there is paid metters on one side of the road so people park in the cycle lane on the other side of the road.

Cycle on the road...don't use the cycle lane.

Ray Palmer

Kintarō Hattori wrote: »

As nice as it would be to have clear cycle lanes Ray, it's just not going to happen. The Gardai have bigger fish to fry unfortunately. Remember a lot of cycle lanes are shared with buses and a lot have car spaces. The only ones that shouldn't have cars in them are cycle lanes with a continuous white line.

That't not true you can't park in any of them. The dotted line only means you can drive on it like a yellow box.

Wishbone Ash

Ray Palmer wrote: »

That't not true you can't park in any of them. The dotted line only means you can drive on it like a yellow box.

In some parking is permitted at certain times.

seamus

Pissing in the wind tbh.

The a montessori school or a creche or something here. Every day, there is a stream of vehicles parked in a row along there collecting their children. From 7am to 9am in the mornings and 3pm to 7pm in the evenings. There are Gardai constantly up and down that road, they never do anything about it.

The car shown on Google maps is actually a better one. They're usually SUVs and they usually completely block the cycle lane and half the path, with a queue of 2 - 4 cars parked there.

Just another reason why I feel no compulsion to use cycle lanes where they're provided.

Edit: Better example: http://g.co/maps/htmyb

Mr. Presentable

Make a complaint to the school. Get others to do similarly. That's what got the Gardai to attend to errant parking at my local school.

Dermot Illogical

Why would you want to cycle on the worst part of the road?

GTDolanator

as already mentioned your pissing into the wind,one of the most annoying scenarios has to be opposite the lorreto school on stephens green.I have had many an argument with the people that park here but they dont care and neither do the gaurds,not even traffic corps

markpb

Kintarō Hattori wrote: »

As nice as it would be to have clear cycle lanes Ray, it's just not going to happen. The Gardai have bigger fish to fry unfortunately.

The Traffic Corp and Gardai out walking/cycling really shouldn't have bigger fish to fry - enforcing the law is their job at the end of the day.

daragh_

GTDolanator wrote: »

as already mentioned your pissing into the wind,one of the most annoying scenarios has to be opposite the lorreto school on stephens green.I have had many an argument with the people that park here but they dont care and neither do the gaurds,not even traffic corps

+1

monument

I've seen traffic gardai move cars from being parked on cycle lanes. Only last week spotted one on a motorbike doing so -- but this is something which needs to be done all the time and there's an enforcement and road user culture change needed.

Schools are a really problem -- not only for cyclists passing by but also for children walking and cycling, and for parents on bikes picking up children. It's makes it a lot harder to get people go walk/cycle their children to school, or allow the children to do so, when there's cars parked on footpaths and in cycle paths.

markpb

monument wrote: »

I've seen traffic gardai move cars from being parked on cycle lanes. Only last week spotted one on a motorbike doing so -- but this is something which needs to be done all the time and there's an enforcement and road user culture change needed.

Moving people is a waste of time - it doesn't really stop them from doing it again. Fines are the only solution.

Jawgap

someone parking in a cycle lane is just an inconvenience - there may be some situations where its dangerous (as it subsequent posts will not doubt seek to justify), but in the scale of the Garda priorities it's somewhere down towards the end where it should be.

If the Guards have a bit of spare time on their hands they could do a whole host of other things that would contribute more to road safety such as more enforcement of the mobile phone ban.........speed traps in genuinely risky areas........HGV inspections etc

CramCycle

Cyclist: Sorry Garda but could you get these guys to move along, they are parked illegally
Garda: Sure thing (goes over to Mother), sorry but would you mind moving your car along, you are parked illegally
SUV mother: I'm just waiting for/dropping off my kids, they will be out in a minute, there are no adequate parking facilities in the area and no where else for me to stop, if I stop on the road, I'll create huge traffic delays and substantially increase the risk of my kids being injured by overtaking cars and undertaking bicycles, while I should not open the door when either are present it can be difficult to get my kids to do the same, hope you understand.
Garda: Fair enough, try not to stay any longer than needed.
Cyclist: Well?
Garda: Well, your on a bike, go around the car, it is clearly not difficult, if you are unable to complete this maneuver you are clearly not fit to control your vehicle on the road, also common sense, loads of kids, safer for you to stay on the road.
Cyclist: Fair point.

In other cases where they have parked there car illegally in a cycle lane and have no excuse, call the clampers or report them to the Gardai.

droidus

CramCycle wrote: »

Cyclist: Sorry Garda but could you get these guys to move along, they are parked illegally
Garda: Sure thing (goes over to Mother), sorry but would you mind moving your car along, you are parked illegally
SUV mother: I'm just waiting for/dropping off my kids, they will be out in a minute, there are no adequate parking facilities in the area and no where else for me to stop, if I stop on the road, I'll create huge traffic delays and substantially increase the risk of my kids being injured by overtaking cars and undertaking bicycles, while I should not open the door when either are present it can be difficult to get my kids to do the same, hope you understand.
Garda: Here - dont you only live 5 minutes up the road - why not just walk your kids to school instead of parking in the cycle lane twice a day every day?
SUV mother: Do I look like a peasant?

fyp

smacl

So the consensus is that there's no enforcing the cyclists right to use unobstructed cycle lanes. Thus the cycle lanes are more dangerous for kiddies to cycle in than their design suggests. Thus the concerned parents drive their kids to school in the SUV and park it in the cycle lane outside the school. You'd know we're in Ireland now, wouldn't you? Surely the better idea is not to allow the SUVs park where they shouldn't, making the school run by SUV more of a pain in the arse, and tipping the balance of the more efficient way of getting kids to school towards them cycling there under their own steam.

Or maybe we could just sell off all these little ribbons of pink paving to NAMA :rolleyes:

coolbeans

It's frankly misguided to use cycle lanes in Ireland such is their state of repair and appalling design not to mind the legal lacunae as to what constitutes a cycle lane and what does not. There are exceptions to this rule but they're few and far between. Consequently cycle lanes are irrelevant to most frequent cyclists. I personally think that we should abandon cycle lanes in the city and concentrate on educating both cyclists and motorists on how to co-exist in a city that is generally unsuitable for the retro-fitting of cycle infrastructure.

monument

I'm sorry, the "go around" view is not good enough when the issue is affecting parents and children trying to walk and cycle to schools.

With schools on narrow roads where there's illegal parking it's forcing children walking or cycling (with parents or alone) out on to incoming traffic in a narrow space, and with schools on larger roads it's forcing them out into faster moving traffic.

In general, the Gardai have a large focus on keeping traffic moving, a little bit of this time spent on keeping cycle lanes clear is no harm to anybody. If you look at it from the view of making cycling more attractive and getting more people cycling which increases safety, then keeping cycle lanes clear would lead to making the roads safer.

C3PO

I agree with you Coolbeans, but when I ignore the cycle lane and ride in the bus lane instead I get constant abuse from Taxi and Bus drivers who feel I should be using the cycle lane! Doing away with them altogether is probably the only sensible solution!

Jawgap

monument wrote: »

...... a little bit of this time spent on keeping cycle lanes clear is no harm to anybody........

I'd generally agree, if it only took a little bit of time. If a Guards asks someone to move and they say "No" - then what?

Most of the time the majority of people would be suitably chastened and move on, but you'll always get the odd sod who pushes it all the way and that's how Guards end up wasting whole mornings in court over such trivialities.

Also, I doubt that even if every cycle lane in Ireland was free, clean and safe 24 hours a day, you would see much of an increase in kids cycling to school.

I wouldn't let my kids cycle to school because there's nowhere secure to lock up their bikes.

CramCycle

Jawgap wrote: »

I wouldn't let my kids cycle to school because there's nowhere secure to lock up their bikes.

Follow them in the SUV and grab the bikes off them as they hop off at the entrance :pac:

Jawgap

CramCycle wrote: »

Follow them in the SUV and grab the bikes off them as they hop off at the entrance :pac:

I'd have to park up to do that - then your friend the Guard would show up and ask me to move.

Maybe if I waited until they were in school then went and crept around the school grounds to take the bikes that would work.......what could possibly go wrong?

nerraw1111

As a cyclist, I’d hope Gardai would have something better to do than clear cycle lanes. Ridiculous way to have a gardai spend their time.

Just get the council to clamp offending vehicles. Simple solution, it makes money and stops Gardai wasting their time.

Also as a cyclist, I have no problem with mothers and fathers stopping to collect their children from crèches. Different story re secondary schools but I’m really not bothered by a mother or father who is picking up their baby and has parked on the road. The horror of it all.

Ray Palmer

coolbeans wrote: »

It's frankly misguided to use cycle lanes in Ireland such is their state of repair and appalling design not to mind the legal lacunae as to what constitutes a cycle lane and what does not. There are exceptions to this rule but they're few and far between. Consequently cycle lanes are irrelevant to most frequent cyclists. I personally think that we should abandon cycle lanes in the city and concentrate on educating both cyclists and motorists on how to co-exist in a city that is generally unsuitable for the retro-fitting of cycle infrastructure.

Well in this case the lanes were resurfaced (with the road) and it is a major route heading into Dublin City. This is much more than a local issue as it effects more than people just in the area.

The Malahide Road heading down to Fairview and the school is Mount Temple. The pedestrian lights,bus lane,down hill make this parking a bigger deal.

Yes lots of cycle lanes are baddly designed and maintained all the more reason to insure the ones that are well done should be proetected and made usable.

CramCycle

Ray Palmer wrote: »

The Malahide Road heading down to Fairview and the school is Mount Temple. The pedestrian lights,bus lane,down hill make this parking a bigger deal.

Just had a look on google maps, they have a road into it which they could use for set down, so I agree with you in this case, they shouldn't be pulling in on the road, a garda handing out tickets for one day week will do the job nicely, not many parents these days that can afford to be paying a fine.

smacl

Jawgap wrote: »

I'd generally agree, if it only took a little bit of time. If a Guards asks someone to move and they say "No" - then what?

A ticket, point on the license, etc... Seems to work ok with bus lanes, it's hardly rocket science.

Also, I doubt that even if every cycle lane in Ireland was free, clean and safe 24 hours a day, you would see much of an increase in kids cycling to school.

Maybe, but there's only one way of finding out. I have every intention of getting my kids to cycle to secondary school.

I wouldn't let my kids cycle to school because there's nowhere secure to lock up their bikes.

Again, not an insurmountable problem. If the government sees fit to pour many millions into a cycling infrastructure, this is just one more necessary part of that infrastructure.

I'd like my kids to enjoy the freedom of having a large roaming circle that a bike affords, at an early an age as is safe and practicable. If an adequate cycling infrastructure is going to help facilitate this, I'm all for it. Throw in the side benefits of extra exercise in the fresh air at a time when junior obesity is on the up, the possibility of a life long sporting pastime, and the removal of the need to be constantly ferrying kids around the place, and it becomes something very worthwhile.

Wishbone Ash

I'm sure any cyclists who use the R132 will be aware of the fleet of vehicles constantly parked on the northbound cycle lane at the scrap yard at Pinnock Hill (south of Swords). I have contacted Swords Garda Station on a couple of occasions but no-one there seems interested.

I was passing recently when traffic was at a standstill including a Traffic Corps car. I asked the very pleasant young Gardai in the car about it. They said they regularly received calls about it but there was nothing they could do as the cars aren't registered to any owner. When I asked if they could be towed away they said they wouldn't do that as it's precisely why the scrap dealer leaves them there.

Catch 22!

reallyunique

I'm happy for my kids to cycle to school using the cycle lanes where it's appropriate but I wouldn't be a fan of getting the Gardaí involved in moving people along. Once you start with the idea of enforcing all of the laws then we'll end up fining people for Jaywalking, red light jumping and other "offenses" which irritate others but aren't essentially dangerous or even inconvenient. Let's all try to get along, once the law gets involved everyone loses.

The best way to get the Yummy Mummy in her SUV out of the cycle lane is to make cycling seem like a normal activity. Cycle past with your kids, smile and be polite. Let everyone see how much fun it is to cycle. Let your kids tell the others in their class how great it is to cycle to school. Kids pestering their parents will do a lot more to clear cycle lanes than fines ever will.

Of course you could just scream "Move on you Fat Bitch!" at them and see if it works

Ray Palmer

nerraw1111 wrote: »

As a cyclist, I’d hope Gardai would have something better to do than clear cycle lanes. Ridiculous way to have a gardai spend their time.

Just get the council to clamp offending vehicles. Simple solution, it makes money and stops Gardai wasting their time.

Also as a cyclist, I have no problem with mothers and fathers stopping to collect their children from crèches. Different story re secondary schools but I’m really not bothered by a mother or father who is picking up their baby and has parked on the road. The horror of it all.

Well I do putting my life in more danger for their convenince is not what I think is a fair distrbution of risk. Just becasue somebody is a parent shouldn't give them a complete disregard for others. Considering new parents with a lack of sleep more concerned about the child in their car than other users are probably one of the biggest dangers on the road.:p

Kintarō Hattori

markpb wrote: »

The Traffic Corp and Gardai out walking/cycling really shouldn't have bigger fish to fry - enforcing the law is their job at the end of the day.

I'm not saying they should ignore what's happening around them but let's be honest most of them turn a blind eye to minor law breaking. How many times have you seen RLJ's whizz by a Garda and not get pulled up on it.

Yes they shouldn't have bigger fish to fry but we're low down on their list of priorities. I don't like it, but that's how it is.

time lord

http://img820.imageshack.us/img820/6996/cyclelane.jpg

Nice one from today. Path and cycle lane.

Dermot Illogical

Wishbone Ash wrote: »

I'm sure any cyclists who use the R132 will be aware of the fleet of vehicles constantly parked on the northbound cycle lane at the scrap yard at Pinnock Hill (south of Swords). I have contacted Swords Garda Station on a couple of occasions but no-one there seems interested.

I was passing recently when traffic was at a standstill including a Traffic Corps car. I asked the very pleasant young Gardai in the car about it. They said they regularly received calls about it but there was nothing they could do as the cars aren't registered to any owner. When I asked if they could be towed away they said they wouldn't do that as it's precisely why the scrap dealer leaves them there.

Catch 22!

That's one where a little lateral thinking might be helpful. They could forget the road traffic legislation in this case and hit the dealer with the Litter Act.

Kintarō Hattori

Wishbone Ash wrote: »

I'm sure any cyclists who use the R132 will be aware of the fleet of vehicles constantly parked on the northbound cycle lane at the scrap yard at Pinnock Hill (south of Swords). I have contacted Swords Garda Station on a couple of occasions but no-one there seems interested.

Have you got a link on Google Maps? I cycle the R132 and can't recall seeing a load of vehicles blocking the cycle lane. I'm not saying they aren't there- just that I'm probably too dozy to notice them.

Wishbone Ash

RT66 wrote: »

That's one where a little lateral thinking might be helpful. They could forget the road traffic legislation in this case and hit the dealer with the Litter Act.

But the Gardai claim the vehicles are "ownerless". Presumably the litter act could only be applied to registered vehicles?

Kintarō Hattori wrote: »

Have you got a link on Google Maps? I cycle the R132 and can't recall seeing a load of vehicles blocking the cycle lane. I'm not saying they aren't there- just that I'm probably too dozy to notice them.

If you cycle the part between Dublin Airport and Swords you can't miss them. They are near the filling station and turn off for Airside.

ardmacha

The first priority of the Guards should be to get the cyclolouts off the footpath.

CramCycle

Wishbone Ash wrote: »

But the Gardai claim the vehicles are "ownerless". Presumably the litter act could only be applied to registered vehicles?

Not really, the littering is done by whoever leaves them there, all they would need is a witness or proof that he left them there. If it is a common occurrence then I imagine it wouldn't be hard to get proof or even better a Garda witness.

Also I imagine that there would be a record with the registration office on the serial numbers on the engines. There was an owner once.

Dermot Illogical

Wishbone Ash wrote: »

But the Gardai claim the vehicles are "ownerless". Presumably the litter act could only be applied to registered vehicles?

The Litter Act applies to all forms of unsightly objects.
http://www.citizensinformation.ie/en/environment/environmental_protection/litter_law.html

challengemaster

Just as soon as they start fully prosecuting cyclists for breaking the Road traffic laws, then I see no issue with it...

RobertFoster

Kintarō Hattori wrote: »

Have you got a link on Google Maps? I cycle the R132 and can't recall seeing a load of vehicles blocking the cycle lane. I'm not saying they aren't there- just that I'm probably too dozy to notice them.

They seemed to have the cars further in the day Google went by.

CramCycle

challengemaster wrote: »

Just as soon as they start prosecuting cyclists road users in general for breaking the Road traffic laws, then I see no issue with it...

FYP, it looked like trolling so I thought I'd help get across the gist of the point :pac:

Wishbone Ash

RobertFoster wrote: »

They seemed to have the cars further in the day Google went by.

Thanks for that great pic. There's a short section of footpath to the right of centre of the image. A line of cars is normally parked outside that footpath.

Jawgap

Ray Palmer wrote: »

......

The Malahide Road heading down to Fairview and the school is Mount Temple. The pedestrian lights,bus lane,down hill make this parking a bigger deal.

........

Complain to Bono - it's his old school and it's about the only cause he's not involved in.

Jawgap

smacl wrote: »

A ticket, point on the license, etc... Seems to work ok with bus lanes, it's hardly rocket science.



Maybe, but there's only one way of finding out. I have every intention of getting my kids to cycle to secondary school.



Again, not an insurmountable problem. If the government sees fit to pour many millions into a cycling infrastructure, this is just one more necessary part of that infrastructure.

I'd like my kids to enjoy the freedom of having a large roaming circle that a bike affords, at an early an age as is safe and practicable. If an adequate cycling infrastructure is going to help facilitate this, I'm all for it. Throw in the side benefits of extra exercise in the fresh air at a time when junior obesity is on the up, the possibility of a life long sporting pastime, and the removal of the need to be constantly ferrying kids around the place, and it becomes something very worthwhile.

I respect the points you are making but tickets, points on licences all take time - and is that a productive use of Garda time? - no (in my opinion). The Guards can enforce laws, but they are not required to enforce them.

If money is to be spent by the government in schools, much and all as I enjoy cycling, I rather it went on improving the teaching of maths rather than on bike lock-ups; let Parents' Councils provide those.

My kids go everywhere on their bikes and cycling infra-structure has nothing to do with it. They've just been taught to ride safely and sensibly, and to enjoy the degree of independence it gives them.

Wheely GR8

Until someone serious is responsible for designing cycle lanes ,I see it as a joke really. I've only recently got back on a bike and some of the lanes are literally a joke. It's like they got buy one get one free on paint with a use by date.

monument

It's worth nothing the the national cycle policy has something to say about this:

Enforcement of Other Traffic Laws
We will examine and highlight the barriers preventing an effective
enforcement regime for other traffic offences that affect cyclist safety.
For example,
(i) dangerous driving in (urban) areas;
(ii) cyclists running red lights;
(iii) illegal parking on cycle tracks;
(iv) motor-bikes using bus-lanes etc.

This study will link with the wider Road Safety Strategy 2007-2012.

Jawgap wrote: »

I'd generally agree, if it only took a little bit of time. If a Guards asks someone to move and they say "No" - then what?

Most of the time the majority of people would be suitably chastened and move on, but you'll always get the odd sod who pushes it all the way and that's how Guards end up wasting whole mornings in court over such trivialities.

Depending on the situation, there's a number of options open to the Gardai already:

Driving on a footpath
Driving on a cycle track
Failure to comply with prohibitory traffic sign
Failure to comply with traffic lane marking
Parking a vehicle in a dangerous position

Only the last one requires going to court.

Jawgap wrote: »

Also, I doubt that even if every cycle lane in Ireland was free, clean and safe 24 hours a day, you would see much of an increase in kids cycling to school.

I wouldn't let my kids cycle to school because there's nowhere secure to lock up their bikes.

No, not alone, but it would help.

You can spot some of the worst parking on footpaths and/or cycle lanes outside school -- people parking in all over the place pushing other cars and people walking and cycling when they should not be does not help. This is usually happens where there are loads of near by parking places or even car parks, they just try to park on top of the school gate.

Like the national cycle policy -- it's a whole host of measures / actions and not just larger ones which are needed to help promote cycling.

Jawgap wrote: »

I wouldn't let my kids cycle to school because there's nowhere secure to lock up their bikes.

The NTA and Department of Transport are providing funding for cycle parking at schools, colleges and some work places.

nerraw1111 wrote: »

As a cyclist, I’d hope Gardai would have something better to do than clear cycle lanes. Ridiculous way to have a gardai spend their time.

Just get the council to clamp offending vehicles. Simple solution, it makes money and stops Gardai wasting their time.

Also as a cyclist, I have no problem with mothers and fathers stopping to collect their children from crèches. Different story re secondary schools but I’m really not bothered by a mother or father who is picking up their baby and has parked on the road. The horror of it all.

Council can't clamp vehicles when there's a driver in them, and the council has little or no business enforcing the traffic law beyond parked vehicles.

It's not at that all ridiculous when we're talking about traffic gardai who's job it is enforce traffic laws.

ardmacha wrote: »

The first priority of the Guards should be to get the cyclolouts off the footpath.

Not defending the louts who cycle on footpaths, but stopping cars from blocking cycle lane and other parts of the road would help get at least some off the footpath.

monument

Jawgap wrote: »

If money is to be spent by the government in schools, much and all as I enjoy cycling, I rather it went on improving the teaching of maths rather than on bike lock-ups; let Parents' Councils provide those.

Did not spot your last post before posting last... It's transport funding. Smarter transport funding to be exact.

Jawgap

monument wrote: »

Did not spot your last post before posting last... It's transport funding. Smarter transport funding to be exact.

No problem - but my point would still be that if there is money to be spent in schools, maths, science and technology teaching need to be sorted first.

Anyway, if there was a bit of joined up thinking going on could the government departments launch a competition for students to design and fabricate a secure bike store for use in schools. Get them to cost it etc.

Maybe if the kids felt they had ownership of something like that they'd be more inclined to use it.

Of course a key requirement of any such facility is that it be modular and large enough to hide 20+ kids having a smoke and another 20 goading on 2 more having a fight:)

cdaly_

CramCycle wrote: »

Also I imagine that there would be a record with the registration office on the serial numbers on the engines. There was an owner once.

If the previous owner was issued with a certificate of destruction by the scrap dealer (as they should) they are no longer responsible for the vehicle...

Wheely GR8 wrote: »

Until someone serious is responsible for designing cycle lanes ,I see it as a joke really. I've only recently got back on a bike and some of the lanes are literally a joke. It's like they got buy one get one free on paint with a use by date.

They're not cycle lanes, they're painted grants*...




*Some european directive requiring x km of cycle lane per y km of european funded road...

galwaycyclist

Jawgap wrote: »

No problem - but my point would still be that if there is money to be spent in schools, maths, science and technology teaching need to be sorted

Off topic but I would argue that getting more kids walking and cycling to school is a means of supporting the investments we have already made in teachers salaries etc.

Coming from a family with a few teachers one of the things I have been told is that in the old days, when kids walked and cycled to school, they came into class ready to sit down and learn something. Todays compulsorily car-borne equivalents come into class without having had any physical activity between getting up and getting to school and are distracted and fidgety as a result.

monument

Jawgap wrote: »

No problem - but my point would still be that if there is money to be spent in schools, maths, science and technology teaching need to be sorted first.

The benefits of cycling are too great for the government not to invest in cycling, for example:

• Helps tackle obesity and a wide range of related problems -- saves the state money on heath
• Better mental health -- same as above and also gets workers and students off to a fresher start.
• Lowers traffic congestion -- more and more people on bikes, congestion becomes less and less of a problem.
• Costs less than providing public transport -- one of the main reasons the Dutch and Dains invested in cycling
• Lowers deaths and injury -- increasing the amount of people cycling alone leads to an increase in safity for all road users
• Lowers the amount of air and noise pollution -- again saves on health
• Makes our towns and cities more attractive
• Lowers cost of road building and maintenance