Cycle infrastructure planned for south Dublin

What was the alternative route in Paris, people keep mentioning this and going, oh look we can be Parisian.

The cars must have had an alternative route, if not all the local roads would have taken the traffic.

The coastal route in Dunlaoghaire has led to congestion on local roads, the cars that cant drive down Seapoint Avenue are now on Monkstown Road.

People will just stop driving to Dunlaoghaire so the cycling lobby will say thats good, less traffic.

Dunlaoghaire though will fail as a retail destination as people who drive spend more money than those on bikes, its already in terminal decline, maybe this doesnt really matter as there is plenty of other shopping centres within a few km

Drivers spend a lot more money.

You will fill bags if you have a car to dump stuff in.

If you walking or cycling you will not carry bags, most of the cyclists, including me who use the Seapoint cycle lane do it for a bit of exercise on a nice day, its empty when its raining, we never go near the town.

I used to drive to Dunlaoghaire, park and spend quite a bit, dont go near it now except for a walk or a cycle, I might buy a Teddys ice cream but thats it.

As I said does it really matter, there are plenty of shops in Stillorgan etc and far too many neglected empty units in Dunlaoghaire, many of these units should be reconfigured for housing.

Has this happened in Dunlaoghaire, have the retailers said they are busier.

I know none of my friends or neighbours go to Dunlaoghaire now except to walk on the pier or cycle to the Forty Foot, there is too much easier access elsewhere.

I dont believe for one minute that taking cars off half of Strand Road will get anyone cycling except maybe on a sunny day, its going to cause mayhem as far back as Dalkey as all those cars who would have turned onto strand road will now be on the Merrion Road.

The Dart andbuses are already overloaded and this was pre covid, if full capacity on Darts and buses isnt back by return to school time then people are going to be driving from as far as Greystones to drop their children to school in south dublin.

Anyone who is arguing traffic will disappear are not living in Sandymount or other suburbs nearby.

Every area is different but its pretty obvious to me the new cycle lane in Dunlaoghaire hasnt brought extra business to the town.

The shops selling ice cream and take out coffees were booming while we were stuck in 5km.

Come September there will be no one on that cycle lane during the week and very few in cold weather.

Those with cars will be in Dundrum , stillorgan, Nutgrove and Liffey Valley.

I cant even see the cinema surviving and the old shopping centre should be put out of its misery.

And I say this as someone who does cycle the Coastal Mobility Route, Im bored with it now though, only so many times you can cycle somewhere only to turn around and cycle the same route back.

Strand Road isnt happening, its time to forget about it now and look for a practical solution.

Its not a pleasant place to cycle from October to April, no shelter, no protection from the wind. It would not attract hundreds of cyclists so a more limited cycle path inside the sea wall would suffice.

So pointless antagonising local communities with madcap ideas driven by a minority and proceeded with in spite of local politicans opposing these plans.

Local politicans are there to work for their communities and officials should not have the power to disregard those elected through the fairest system we have.

Deansgrange Road is the next battleground, the politicans are mostly opposing this too, residents are organising massive resistance, more waste of time and energy and more legal fees.

Meanwhile the cycle lanes inwards and outwards on the N11 are in dire condition as is the cycle track from Stillorgsn to Carysfort Ave, has been in same condition for years. The lane from Donnybrook to Ranelagh is desperate too, why not spend money improving what we have, wont get as good photo ops for public officials though.!!!