Council urged to ban fast cyclists training on popular Irish route

Those in favour of banning cyclists training in the area say the riders are going too fast and are a danger to themselves and others.

 

Cyclists are training in Killarney National Park and are a danger to themselves and walkers using the same routes, a meeting of Kerry County Council has been told.

And now some of the councillors want a ban on cyclists training in the park for triathlons and cycling events, saying the area was only ever intended for recreational use.

It has been proposed that cyclists should have to have bells on their bikes so they can sound them to warn others they are approaching.

And some of the councillors have said a lot of cyclists using the routes are clearly out training.

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They were riding at speeds and crashing, injuring themselves and on occasion other people.

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Cllr John Sheahan of Fine Gael told a council meeting this week he had witnessed some incidents involving cyclists going the wrong way around the park.

He said steps needed to be taken to urge visitors hiring bikes in the area to ride more carefully but that other riders who were on training sessions also needed to be tackled.

And he wants signs saying “for recreational use only” to be erected where the cyclists are training.

“Bells should be fitted to all bikes and bike companies in Killarney should be told to give notice to people who hire bikes to use their bell,” said Mr Sheahan.

The Examiner newspaper reports that the manager of the Dinis Cottage Tea Rooms, Noelle Crosbie, said she had had to help a number of injured cyclists who had crashed.

She added cyclists had crashed into walkers, prams and potholes and that one German boy was so badly injured he had to be airlifted from the park last year.