In this article, we look back on 2023 through the frame of our 2021-26 Strategy (with our six strategic aims shown below) and consider how much progress we have made. In particular, we highlight where Irish Cycling Campaign / our Local Groups are making a real impact on the mobility culture of Ireland.

Note, however, that this article only scrapes the surface of all of the incredible work conducted by our network of volunteers for which we are very grateful.

ICC’s overarching aims as per our current strategy, are:

1. Develop a vibrant and resilient all-island cycling advocacy community
2. Influence the national conversation on mobility and quality of life
3. Seek to ensure public policy embraces cycling
4. Advocate for more effective institutions and new legislation
5. Seek to ensure there is ample funding spent on cycling
6. Seek to secure high quality routes and infrastructure

We frame our 2023 highlighted achievements around these: 

1. Community
   Underpinning effective advocacy work is having a resilient organisation, and we put significant work into this in 2023.
   
   We note here:
   – the adoption of our new Constitution (https://cyclist.ie/2024/01/irish-cycling-campaign-new-name-and-constitution-adopted/)
   – the development of our Operations Manual
   – the advancement of a “Theory of Change” (not yet published)
   – the hosting of a major “Gathering” of our members, aimed at ‘upping the morale’ of volunteers. This event also marked the 30th Birthday of local group Dublin Cycling Campaign, a significant milestone – https://cyclist.ie/2023/10/cyclist-ie-gathering-and-dcc-30th-birthday-weekend/.  
   
   
2. National Conversation
   Throughout 2023, Irish Cycling Campaign was the ‘go-to’ NGO for the media for insights on cycling policy. We also helped to shape the conversation on wider (public) transport topics, and on links between public health outcomes and transport investment types. A summary of our 2023 media contributions can be read here while our contributions in the media in 2024 to date can be read here. Without these contributions, media discourses would be dominated by less informed and more car-centric perspectives. Our contributions soften the ground for a greater public acceptance for active travel investments.
   
   We also note the contributions ICC members made at the international “Cycling and Society” Research Conference – see https://cyclist.ie/2023/09/2023-cycling-society-conference-cyclist-ie-report/. These help to inform under- and post-grad thinking from an activist perspective.  
   
   
3. Public Policy
   Throughout 2023, we advocated to the Departments of: Transport; Environment, Climate & Communications; Health; and Finance for cycling as a climate-friendly, healthy, congestion-free transport mode. 

Following submissions made in 2023, we were very happy to see the National Cycle Network Plan published in Jan 2024 –  https://cyclist.ie/2024/01/ncn-launch-in-sallins-irish-cycling-campaign-report/. In more concrete terms, we warmly welcomed the Shannon Cycle Bridge opening which we have long advocated for https://cyclist.ie/2023/08/cyclist-ie-celebrates-vital-athlone-link-bridge-opening/.

4. Institutions and Legislation
   One of the most difficult domains ICC operates in is where we seek to change the culture of driving, and this brings us into close contact with the National Transport Authority (NTA), the Gardaí and the Road Safety Authority in particular.
   
   A major milestone for cycling campaigners in 2023 was getting the new National Cycle Manual published (https://www.nationaltransport.ie/publications/cycle-design-manual/). ICC provided detailed technical feedback on earlier iterations, and this helped to shape the final version of the manual. Additionally, many ICC members took part in the Engineers Ireland training webinars on it – https://www.nationaltransport.ie/publications/introduction-to-the-cycle-design-manual-webinar-series/ – which helps to inform our community and shape the minds of others working in this domain.
   
   Amongst the topics raised with An Garda Síochána were collision reporting, the portal for video evidence, and wider enforcement issues through our meetings with the A/Commissioner for Community & Roads Policing, Paula Hilman, and her team. We are now building on these conversations so as to put a greater emphasis on reducing road danger from driver behaviour, vehicle speeds, and ever increasing vehicle sizes. 
   
   
5. Funding
   As noted above, we continue our work to normalise the idea that at least 20% of the transport capital budget is spent on active travel. Our Pre-Budget Submission (delivered in August 2023) re-emphasised this argument – https://cyclist.ie/2023/08/cyclist-ie-pre-budget-2024-submission/. Additionally, our active engagement with the European Cyclists’ Federation supported its work in securing the adoption of the first EU level inter-institutional cycling policy – https://ecf.com/news-and-events/news/historic-milestone-cycling-european-institutions-officially-adopt-joint. 
   
   
6. Quality Infrastructure
   Of the submissions made in 2023, we note the quality of those made to An Bord Pleanála in regard to the 12 BusConnects ‘Core Bus Corridor’ planning applications. See https://www.dublincycling.com/cycling/bus-connects-kimmage-city-centre-scheme. Four of the 12 schemes have now been approved by ABP (https://busconnects.ie/cities/dublin/core-bus-corridors/).
   
   We also highlight the quality of the submissions on Metrolink in early 2023 (https://www.dublincycling.com/cycling/dublin-cycling-campaign-asks-two-changes-metrolink-project), which were followed by presentations at the Oral Hearing in early 2024 – all focused on intermodal journeys as reported by the Irish Times.