Brain dump on cycling in County Galway

galwaycyclist

The county council is shortly to start considering a Walking and Cycling Strategy for the County.

Based on the National Cycle Policy Framework I've started a brain-dump of measures that would have to be basic to a viable strategy.

1. Enforcement-based and county-wide speed management strategy for all county towns and villages. 30km/h zones around all schools in towns and on busy shopping streets e.g. Main St Loughrea
   
2. Removal of engineered road narrowings and pinch points that force cyclists into close proximity with faster motorised traffic.

• Examples: Kilrickle, Kilcolgan, Claregalway. Are there more?
• Alternatives:
• For village gateways, use automatic red lights (traffic lights that go red unless cars stay within speed limits)
  
• For locations that require pedestrian crossings use Oughterard-style zebra crossings with raised ramps.
  
• Relocate on-street car parking that is causing pinch points.
  
• Where feature cannot be removed, provide cyclist bypasses or put up signage advising motorists to stay behind cyclists.

[LIST=3]
[*]In county towns, systematically revert all single-lane, one-way streets to two-way use for cyclists. e.g. Moore St in Loughrea - Clifden, Cong etc.

[*]Provide widespread secure bike parking

[*]Encourage motorists to use 1.5m as passing distance when overtaking cyclists.

[*]Develop a system of routes using back roads and country lanes/boreens etc and selective road closures where necessary to prevent rat running.

[*]Provide hard shoulders on main roads on outskirts of towns and villages.

[*]Provide pedestrians and cyclists with shortcuts and gaps through existing developments whereever possible.

[*]Remove cycle lanes at unsuitable rural locations - eg Parkmore.

[*]Convert disused railway alignments to greenways whereever feasible.

[*]Systematically tackle floods and potholes.

[/LIST]

Feel free to expand or develop any of the points - eg whats the one-way street situation in Tuam?

GKiraly

I for one would very much welcome a strategy that would promote more safety amongst cyclists and encourage more participation. Unfortunately, as regular cyclists will testify, it would appear that alot of motorists view cyclists as a nuisance on the road and dont have much time for them. As a regular long distance commuter by bike I would welcome a more sustained programme towards improving transport. For now though, cycling is the issue.

Firstly, the OP's point on removing cycle lines in rural areas, why would you want to do that? In my opinion, I dont see any nuisance in having them there in Parkmore, with the high volume of traffic in that area it gives the cyclists a designated lane for themselves so I would disagree on the OP's point on that matter.

Elsewhere, the OP makes some good points that I would also echo and agree with 100% - improving roads, perhaps in tandem with developing hard shoulders, and more secure parking.

In fact, what is needed, is more cycle lines around the city and in towns. The system that is in Dublin with the hop on hop off thing and lock up the rental bikes around the city would also be worth looking into for Galway City, traffic congestion is not getting any better, so its either get people on buses or onto bikes.

With bikes though, if the infrastructure and systems were in place I believe it would be more appealing than buses as people have independence with bikes and the freedom to go wherever whenever as opposed to depending on bus times.

And while we're on the point of transport, im slightly surprised that there is no proper bus service in place running from the eastern towns in the county to ballybrit and parkmore in the mornings. Not every town has access to railways with such ease as Athenry, Attymon, Woodlawn, etc, and even the first train doesnt get in that early, so, I do believe it would be a viable public transport service.

what_traffic

GKiraly wrote: »

Firstly, the OP's point on removing cycle lines in rural areas, why would you want to do that? In my opinion, I dont see any nuisance in having them there in Parkmore, with the high volume of traffic in that area it gives the cyclists a designated lane for themselves so I would disagree on the OP's point on that matter.

Replace them with Hard Shoulders in Parkmore. They are full of grit and dirt and very uneven surface because they are not naturally swept by other vechicles. Cycle lanes are needed to filter at traffic lights not here.

GKiraly

Replace them with Hard Shoulders in Parkmore. They are full of grit and dirt and very uneven surface because they are not naturally swept by other vechicles. Cycle lanes are needed to filter at traffic lights not here.

Sounds like a better idea. The cycle lane going from the roundabout to the Tuam Road could do with a good sweep and a mop!!!!!!! Could do with better cycle lanes going from the roundabout to the lights on the monivea road too, unfortunately I think the lane would need to be on road and not divided between the footpath, as, as can be seen in Ballyloughane, alot of people seem to misunderstand the logic and view cycle lanes as a nice feature if your a Dutch tourist on a cycling holiday!!