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South Dublin County Council, Go-Ahead Ireland, and the Road Safety Authority of Ireland deliver the Cycle Right Initiative.
Initiative promotes a better understanding between cyclists and professional bus drivers.
A unique cycling training initiative between South Dublin County Council, Go-Ahead Ireland, and the Road Safety Authority (RSA) was held on Wednesday 19 June 2019 to highlight the complexities between bicycles and buses sharing the road. The initiative involved colleagues from Go-Ahead Ireland undertaking Cycle Right training in order to experience on-road decision making from a cyclist’s perspective to help achieve greater empathy between those that cycle and those that drive buses. The training also aimed to highlight the vulnerability of cyclists sharing the road with buses and other large vehicles.
The most recent comprehensive data[1] on collisions involving cyclists is from 2015 data published by the RSA which revealed that 944 cyclists were involved in a collision resulting in death, serious or minor injury. Generally, the number of incidents involving cyclists and drivers of buses is relatively low compared to those involving a driver of a car. However, the outcome of a collision with any larger vehicle has much more severe consequences for a cyclist.
This initiative is about more than highlighting the vulnerability of cyclists on our roads - It aims to raise the levels of empathy between cyclists and professional drivers to promote respect between road users. Segregated cycling infrastructure is often cited as the most important factor in encouraging an uptake in cycling and to making conditions safer for cyclists. But whilst segregated cycling infrastructure is the goal there will always be points where road users have to share the road. Highlighting key cycling behavioural insights to professional drivers will help keep cyclists and other vulnerable road user’s safe.
Mayor of South Dublin County Council Cllr. Vicki Casserly said, “South Dublin County Council is acutely aware of its responsibilities to all road users which include drivers, cyclists and pedestrian.
We endorse a safe and sustainable cycling culture, and constantly strive to improve road safety awareness.
As we continue our work with relevant agencies in the implementation of appropriate infrastructure and promotional measures we are delighted to work with Go-Ahead Ireland – relatively recently located within our administrative area and now established as a significant public transport provider, the Road Safety Authority of Ireland and Cycling Ireland in this novel road safety initiative.”
Ms. Moyagh Murdock, Chief Executive of the RSA appealed to drivers to be on guard for cyclists using the roads. “You need to allow extra space when overtaking a cyclist and always anticipate a cyclist having to make a sudden move to avoid a pothole or obstruction. It’s also important to watch out for cyclists at junctions especially when turning left and when pulling away from the kerb.”
She added that “Something else we are going to be hearing a lot more about in this country is the ‘Dutch Reach’. It’s the way people in Holland have been taught for years to open the door of a car to avoiding hitting a passing cyclist. Instead of opening the door with the hand closest the door, use the hand that’s furthest away. This forces you to swivel and look in your wing mirror and blind spot before opening the door, allowing you to see if there are any cyclists approaching.”
"Go-Ahead Ireland is delighted to be part of this Cycle Right Initiative. Cyclists can help to make a real difference to reducing congestion and we want to make the roads as safe and attractive to cyclists as possible. Our vehicles share a lot of road space with cyclists so the more we can do to raise awareness with our colleagues and the wider public to help improve safety for cyclists and all road users is a big commitment for us and helps to complement our already extensive training in this area ", commented Ed Wills, Managing Director of Go-Ahead Ireland.
This event has been made possible by the support of funding from the RSA, and the Department of Tourism, Transport and Sport. The helmets were on loan from Melon Ltd and bicycles were supplied by Bleeper Bike.
Image one: Chris Stringer (Head of Go Ahead Engineering), Cllr Vicki Casserly (Mayor of South Dublin County Council) and Aileen Connolly (RSA) at the Bike training at Go-Ahead Ireland Bus Depot, Ballymount.
Image two: Cllr Vicki Casserly (Mayor of South Dublin County Council) with training participants at the Bike training at Go-Ahead Ireland Bus Depot, Ballymount.
Image three: Trainer Noel Conolly from Cycle Right showing students how it should be done Bike training at Go-Ahead Ireland Bus Depot, Ballymount.
Image four: Training participants at the Bike training at Go-Ahead Ireland Bus Depot, Ballymount.
ENDS
For more information, contact South Dublin County Council Communications Unit at communications@sdublincoco.ie
FOR THE EDITOR
About Cycle Right
Cycle Right is the National Standard for Cycle Training and provides practical cycle safety and skills training to promote competent and confident cyclists. Cycle Right is an inclusive programme. Cycle Right is produced and supported by the Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport, the Road Safety Authority and Cycling Ireland, with input from central and local agencies and other groups.
About South Dublin County Council
South Dublin County Council is one of four local authority areas in the Dublin region.
The Council provides and funds a broad range of services including housing, roads, walking and cycling routes, parks and playgrounds, libraries, sports facilities, litter control, arts centres, enterprise units, fire services, community infrastructure and financial support. It also serves as a platform for local democracy with 40 councillors spread across seven electoral areas.
Bounded by the River Liffey to the North and the Dublin Mountains to the South, the County lies 16 kilometres south-west of Dublin city centre and has an administrative footprint of 223sq. kilometres.
The County has nine main villages Clondalkin, Lucan, Palmerstown, Rathfarnham, Tallaght, Templeogue, Saggart, Rathcoole and Newcastle and is bounded by adjoining counties of Wicklow, Kildare, Dublin City, Fingal and Dún Laoghaire.
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