About 200 cyclists every hour have used the new cycling lanes in Dublin’s Phoenix Park at non-peak times in the middle of the afternoon, the department of Public Expenditure and Reform has said.
And now the Minister for State for the Office of Public Works, Patrick O’Donovan TD, has said a review of cycling and other issues related to the park will be conducted during August and September.
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When the Covid19
pandemic began a decision was taken to allocate more of the Phoenix Park to
people for cycling and walking.
As a result, all
of the gates in the park except two – at both ends of Chesterfield Ave – were closed
to drivers in their cars. The OPW, which manages the park, said the gate
closures had brought about a “sea change” in the way the park was being enjoyed
for recreation.
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Because that change was so significant, the OPW extended the period for which the gates would be closed and when the delayed re-opening was about to happen, the OPW once again extended the gate closures.
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However, Minister
of State O’Donovan then intervened and ordered the gates be re-opened on the
basis the park was a commuter route for motorists, which had to be provided for
to allow the economy to recover and grow.
This sudden
decision to re-open the gates, against the stated policy of the OPW, resulted in
a lot of anger. Minister O’Donovan responded by saying a review of the park,
including counting how many pedestrians, cyclists and motorists were accessing
it each day, was being carried out so informed decisions could be made.
In response to
question in the Dáil, tabled by Catherine Murphy TD, the co-leader of the
Social Democrats, and Neasa Hourigan TD of the Green Party, O’Donovan has said the temporary cycle lanes
installed in the park during the lock-down had proven very popular.
“OPW is
now collecting usage data for these new temporary cycle lanes. This data will
be reviewed to establish their effectiveness
or otherwise as cycle lanes,” he said.
“The
evidence to date would suggest that there is significant usage of these lanes
by both commuter and leisure cyclists.
“Local
counting undertaken by Park staff recorded in excess of 200 cyclists per hour
in the afternoons during the peak of the lockdown and it has been noted that
the lanes continue to be used extensively by cyclists.
“These two
new cycle lanes also link directly to the existing cycle lanes on the
Castleknock Road in the Fingal area and also to the Quays at Parkgate Street,
thus providing a key link to the overall cycle network in Dublin. It is hoped
to maintain these cycle lanes in the short to medium term.”
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