2.22 Promote and implement the Safe Routes to School Programme

This is a welcome initiative as there is a huge increase in traffic during school rush hours which is very preventable. I’m sure these times of traffic gridlock from 8-9am & 3-5pm account for a large percentage of transport carbon emissions so by alleviating this issue we could see a big impact by focusing on solving this problem.

In order to tackle this there needs to be continuous cycle routes from our town limits which lead to our schools. These routes need to be safely segregated from our roads to ensure that parents are happy for their kids to go to school themselves. Taking Newbridge for example we have a number of schools located in one area near the liffey so we could efficiently implement a few key cycle ‘arteries’ through the town towards this area. 

We cannot implement small segments of cycle routes in isolation and expect to see an increase in children cycling to school. See Newbridge’s current main street cycle lane as a case in point.

Children will need to navigate numerous dangerous roads for large parts of their journeys before they even reach the segregated lane and thus many won’t take the risk. We should focus on building out full routes to largely populated areas of the town first

Another element of this is the speed cars travel on roads within the town. An example being the Athgarvan road into Newbridge. While there is a cycle lane being gradually installed, the speed of cars on this road will definitely stop many people from taking to the new cycle lane as you have to cross while cars are flying down the road above the speed limit. Traffic calming measures are vital and should be installed along with all cycle infrastructure - large speed bumps, especially approaching crossings.

In order to implement safe cycle routes, tough decisions will need to be made which may see initial local opposition. Removing car parking spaces, and creating one way and pedestrian streets will help to free up space and we can see from many European countries that this local opposition vanishes as people see the benefits.

Measuring the number of routes delivered doesn’t give much insight into the success of this scheme, only that some work was completed and a box was ticked. We should be measuring the amount of kids cycling to school. Today in Ireland only 3% of kids cycle to school and setting a target like 20% in our towns should be a realistic goal to set. This measurement would more accurately show the tangible impact of this programme on people’s lives & our climate targets. Rather than measuring what was built, measure how much it is actually being used.