From his tenure as Minister for Transport, to his participation in Dublin City Triathlon, Leo Varadkar’s relationship with cycling has shifted gears through the years. But what does the future hold for cycling in Ireland with a new Taoiseach, and for Leo himself?
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Ireland, see also NI
Erasmus+ trip to Poland – Seeking Irish Cycling Campaign Ambassadors
Irish Cycling Campaign is part of a truly inspiring European Commission funded Erasmus+ project with themes of cycling promotion, social inclusion, intergenerational relationships and climate action. We reported recently on the three fantastic Erasmus+ “Learning, Teaching and Training” (LTT) trips we took part in in 2023 – as per this article.
The next LTT will take place in Wodzislaw Slaski, a city in the south of Poland (pictured below), from Thursday 13 to Tuesday 18 June 2024 with a wonderfully diverse programme of activities planned by the local partner organisation, Zespół Szkół Ponadpodstawowych. Irish Cycling Campaign is now looking for ambassadors to represent us on the trip. Broadly, we are looking to form a small team (of around 4 or 5 persons) which will bring some new faces and some consistency to the project, and we invite active members of Irish Cycling Campaign to apply to attend. The full costs of travel, accommodation, meals and activities are covered under the project fund.
We are asking you to send us a one page letter (say, 400 words max) explaining why you would like to apply to represent Irish Cycling Campaign at this international LTT. We particularly welcome applications from (i) members of Irish Cycling Campaign’s Local Groups that have not yet taken part in the LTTs to date, and (ii) those in the 18-30 cohort (since Erasmus+ projects have a particular focus on younger adults) – but, as you’ll read further below, we are also happy to receive applications from members of Local Groups that have already been involved and from members of all ages.
Please send your letter to [email protected] by latest 31 March 2024 (11.59pm!). Applications will be assessed by a team comprising members of the Irish Cycling Campaign Executive Committee and other members of our team who have been involved in the project to date. The criteria for assessing applications are set out in Appendix I below, and please note that these should guide you as you prepare your letter of application. The plan is for applications to be assessed and for successful candidates to be contacted in early April with a view to booking travel arrangements at the soonest possible date thereafter so as to keep costs down. Note that we will also be exploring rail and sail options, and encouraging overland travel for this trip, so as to minimise flying and carbon emissions.
If you have any questions on any of the above, please email [email protected] ASAP (and ideally by latest Fri 22 March) and we will respond to all queries as promptly as possible.
Many thanks.
The Irish Cycling Campaign Executive Committee
Appendix I – Criteria for Assessing Applications for Partaking in the “Learning, Teaching and Training” (LTT) trip to Wodzislaw Slaski in Poland as an Ambassador for Irish Cycling Campaign
| Criterion | Details | Marks | |
| 1 | Member of Irish Cycling Campaign | Please confirm that you are a member of Irish Cycling Campaign – you can join here if you are not already a member / if your membership has lapsed. And please include a copy of a short email from your Local Group Chairperson / Coordinator (or the Chair of the national Executive Committee) in which they confirm they support your application for being an ambassador for Irish Cycling Campaign on the LTT. | Mandatory |
| 2 | Active in your local group | Please describe in your letter of application what you have been active in within your own cycle campaigning / advocacy Local Group, particularly over the last year. Extra marks for those who have been on the organising / Executive Committee of the Local Group and/or of Irish Cycling Campaign. | 35 |
| 3 | Enthusiasm, experience working with younger groups and broader skills! | The Erasmus+ trips are very much convivial gatherings of diverse people, brought together under common themes. If you are especially sociable / easy to get along with, or perhaps you play an instrument or sing a song or do a dance, or have experience working with younger groups (maybe in outdoor settings), please let us know in your application! These softer ‘people skills’ are valued a lot in this project where it’s all about nurturing exchange between diverse groups. | 35 |
| 4 | Younger adults | Erasmus+ focuses particularly on the youth and younger adults (see here), so we are especially keen that within the Irish Cycling Campaign delegation we have at least some members who are under 30 years of age. Let us know if you are under 30 (but also 18 years or over) – while noting that people of all ages are very welcome to apply! We are aiming to have a mixture of ages representing us. | 10 |
| 5 | Language Skills | There are partners on the project from Spain, Portugal and Poland so it would be advantageous if you have (even basic) conversational Spanish, Portuguese or Polish. Please let us know in your application. | 10 |
| 6 | Organised / Can help out with some basic admin | Besides the trip itself, there is a certain amount of basic administrative work required to help to manage the project – plus a need to post an informative web article on the trip afterwards (see the link provided in the very first paragraph above on this). Let us know in your letter of application if you are prepared to help out with this. You will receive guidance and training on this as needed / appropriate. | 10 |
| Additional Criterion to be used in assessing all applications collectively, after the initial individual assessment has been completed | |||
| 7 | Diversity | For this project, we are keen for the Irish Cycling Campaign delegation to be diverse in every sense of the term. We are especially keen to have a good spread of active members of our network from all around the country, both urban and rural, with a good gender balance and mix of backgrounds. Do please tell us a bit about yourself in your application! | |
Engineers Ireland support the push for sustainable transport
There was a very heartening event last week.
Established professional body Engineers Ireland hosted a progressive, forward-looking conference aimed at informing their members – civil and structural engineers especially – about Ireland’s current surge towards more sustainable, healthy transport.
(Below) Can Ginty compares modal share over distance in Netherlands
While the provision of safe, segregated infrastructure is definitely an engineering problem, Ireland faces several other barriers in reducing car dependence and GHG emissions from transport. It was great to see presentations on policy, on transport funding, and on simply walking.
It was really inspiring and encouraging to see everyone from Finola O’Driscoll of the NTA through experts Professor Brian Caulfield and Dr. Lorraine d’Arcy, and even Iarnród Éireann Irish Rail, to outstanding cycling advocate Cian Ginty all agreeing on how we need to shift modes of transport to healthier, cleaner, cheaper forms.
Denise Keogan gave the Department of Transport’s overview – to halve CO2 emissions by 2030 (compared to 2018 levels) we’ll need to double active travel rates. Progress is good but, according to Prof. Caulfield of TCD, our focus on electric cars is misplaced and we need to ramp up efforts dramatically if we’re to get near our targets.
(Above) Denise Keogan outlines Government policies
A few of the highlights we took away were…
• 50% GHG reduction by 2030 is a big … big ask. But we’re making real progress: Rural Link is only one of several strong initiatives
• Gender audits should be part of every plan and proposal
• Cycle parking in train stations is way cheaper than giving space for bikes on trains (lesson from the Netherlands)
• 35% of road GHG’s is from National roads
• Cycling will only do the ‘heavy lifting’ of modal shift in denser, urban areas
• Donald Shoup’s seminal resaerch on parking is worth a read.
Irish Cycling Campaign Erasmus+ Project in 2024
Irish Cycling Campaign, formerly Cyclist.ie, is really delighted to be part of the Erasmus+ Generations Cycling for Inclusion and Climate Action project.
It commenced in late 2022, and then in 2023 there were three most enjoyable “Learning, Teaching and Training Trips” run by the partner organisations. Each of these trips left warm and lasting impressions on all of our members who took part in them. The engagements with the other six partners have been rich and educational in the full meaning of the word. Our reports on these can be read here:
- Corella in Spain in April – https://cyclist.ie/2023/06/cyclist-ie-in-corella-2023/
- Waterford in June – https://cyclist.ie/2023/07/erasmus-trip-to-waterford-2023/
- Azambuja in Portugal in October – https://cyclist.ie/2023/10/cyclist-ie-in-azambuja-2023/
And in this 20 second video, produced by Rory Maguire from the Navan Cycling Initiative group of Irish Cycling Campaign, a lovely flavour is given of the Azambuja trip:
For 2024, we are looking forward to two further “Learning, Teaching and Training trips”. These will be to:
- Wodzislaw Slaski, a city in the south of Poland not far from the Czech Republic border. Scheduled for mid June, details to be made available to Irish Cycling Campaign members soon.
- Dublin in October (Thu 10 to Tue 15 Oct). A working group within Irish Cycling Campaign, including many members of Local Group Dublin Cycling Campaign, has already started to consider the different activities that might be stitched into this trip.
You can read more about Generations Cycling for Inclusion and Climate Action on the dedicated project website:
https://www.erasmuscyclingschools.com/
Minister for Transport meets Navan Cycling Initiative
Minister for Transport Eamon Ryan attended Meath County Council earlier today (Fri 23 February 2024) to launch the Council’s Climate Action Plan and to speak with councillors.
Members of Navan Cycling Initiative were delighted that, in the midst of all the PR, he took some time to speak with the campaigners about cycling in Navan – how was it, does it feel safe, is it getting better?
According to Dave Anderson from Navan Cycling Initiative, who is also a member of the Irish Cycling Campaign Executive Committee –
“We’ve spent much of the active travel budget so far on design and paperwork. Now we need construction and concrete. This is starting to happen, with the Trim Road project. This needs to continue, and our councillors need to step up and ensure it happens at pace.”
The full story can be read at https://navancycling.ie/yes-minister/.
Inexplicable Bikes-Not-On-Ferries Policy Highlighted
Elaine Baker from the Cycling Cloughjordan group in County Tipperary is taking a stand about the issue of Irish Ferries not allowing push bikes on the Pembroke to Rosslare ferry, despite allowing motorbikes and motorized vehicles on board. Cycling Cloughjordan is part of the Irish Cycling Campaign organisation.
In her series of video blog posts, filmed on Sat 17 to Sun 18 February 2024, she tracks her experience of trying to bring her folding bicycle on board the service from Pembroke having been visiting friends in South Wales, with a view to sailing into Rosslare and then travelling on back home to County Tipperary.
In this first video, filmed en route by bus to Pembroke, she explains her rationale for wanting to take the direct ferry to Rosslare – and thus avoiding the much more carbon intensive mode of flying.
In the next video, she reports on the refusal of the company to let her on board with her bicycle – despite there being no good reason for the rule itself.
In the third third video here, filmed at 2.30am on a wet morning, she elaborates on the absence of any logic in allowing motorbikes on board the ferry but not allowing bikes without motors on board. Despite spending several hours at the ferry port talking to many different staff members, she was offered no sensible reason for why push bikes were not allowed on the ferry.
And in this forth video, filmed with the early morning birds audible in the background and after she was asked by staff to leave the dark and fairly desolate area, she observes the ferry she was supposed to be on leaving the ferry port with motorbikes on board.
At the time of posting this article here, Elaine was en route to Holyhead in North Wales – which is quite a circuitous route by train from Pembroke.
Two updates further on Elaine’s journey – video #5 here and video #6 here, both from Holyhead port at around 5.30pm and 6pm respectively. In these videos (screen shot below), Elaine highlights that one of the two sailings from Holyhead around 8pm / 8.30pm would be taking foot passengers and cyclists, whereas the other one wouldn’t be.
At the time of updating this article (8.30pm on Sunday night), Elaine should have left Holyhead and be en route to Dublin Port…… after a very long and circuitous journey.
Elaine and Irish Cycling Campaign would like to make it a condition of the licences issued to ferry companies that any ferry which carries passengers who travel with a car or motorcycle should also be mandated to carry people on bikes and foot passengers. They can put limits on the total number of passengers of course and the total weight / size of vehicles, but they should not be allowed to carry larger vehicles but not the smaller ones.
Irish Cycling Campaign is fully behind Elaine’s activism on this issue. If we want to encourage less carbon intensive travel and therefore less flying, it should be safe, easy and permissible to take bikes on ferries and to continue journeys by bike and rail, or bike and bus.
We will add further updates to this story in due course.
More at:
Building a Cycling Culture in Ireland – Lessons From Germany – Workshop
We note here that this workshop has been cancelled due to unforeseen circumstances. We hope that it can be rescheduled for another date and, if so, we will post details on it here.
Call for Members to Stand for Election to the Board
Call for members to stand for election to the Board of Directors / Trustees of the Irish Cycling Campaign
What is the Board?
The Irish Cycling Campaign is both a Company Limited by Guarantee and a Registered Charity. The Board of Directors/Trustees is the grouping of people who are responsible for governing the organisation. The Board does not play an active role in campaigning and other day-to-day issues, but retains oversight and deals with matters relating to legal and regulatory compliance, risk management, financial control, internal policy development, staffing, and so on. After years of dedicated service, some of our Board members have decided to step down, and we are now looking to fill up to 6 vacancies.
What is expected of Board members?
- Strongly supporting our vision, mission and strategic aims
- Always acting appropriately and in the best interests of our organisation
- Preparing for, attending and participating fully in meetings of the Board, which are generally held online during the evening at least every 2 months
- Actively contributing to the work of the Board and following through on actions agreed to
- Time commitment: a couple of hours a week over a 3-year term (ideally)
What kind of people are you looking for?
- Adults of any age and from any background
- Based anywhere in Ireland, with a particular desire currently for people outside of Dublin
- Having a commitment to good governance
- Holding a variety of skill-sets that might include: charity governance, HR, law, finance, fundraising, organisational development, etc
- We are definitely on the look-out for a new Treasurer
- You preferably cycle but do you NOT need to have been involved in cycle campaigning previously
What would I get out of it?
- Doing something practical to combat the climate, health, congestion, road safety and associated crises
- Gaining satisfaction from being involved in an organisation that is a leader in cycling development and is at an exciting juncture
- Being part of a friendly, hardworking team of other volunteers
- A chance to share your skills and learn some new ones along the way
I might potentially be interested; what do I do?
If you want to find out more, you can contact our Chair Mairead Forsythe for an informal chat. If you are ready to throw your hat in the ring, please complete this nomination form by 15 February 2024. We are very much looking forward to hearing from you!
Irish Cycling Campaign CLG AGM 2024
Thursday, 29th February 2024 – 8pm online
The Irish Cycling Campaign CLG Annual General Meeting will be held on Thursday, 29th February 2024 at 8pm.
The AGM is open to fully paid-up individual members of the Irish Cycling Campaign (Dublin Cycling Campaign members included).
You can register for the event here:
https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZwucu2hqDwqG9IizDJAdVQzi4yRTkw505n8
We are also looking for new members to join the Board and Executive Committee this year. To nominate yourself please complete this form:
Board and EC nominations form
Call for members to join Board – see:
https://cyclist.ie/2024/02/call-for-members-to-stand-for-election-to-the-board/
Call for members to join the Executive Committee – see:
https://cyclist.ie/2024/02/call-for-members-to-join-the-executive-committee/
Agenda:
- Approval of Minutes of AGM 2022 (held on 07.12.2022)
- Approval of Minutes of Jan 2024 EGM (held on 04.01.2024)
- Update on the previous year from Board
- Update on the previous year from Executive Committee of Irish Cycling Campaign (formerly Cyclist.ie)
- Financial update to include previous year’s audited accounts and current year to date
- Acceptance of financial statements
- Re-appointment of current auditor or appointment of new auditor
- Elections to the Board – replacement of four positions
- Elections to the Executive Committee
- Motions
- Final Announcements (Upcoming events etc.)
Key dates:
- Send nominations to the board by 6pm on Thursday, 15th February 2024
- Send nominations to the Executive Committee by 6pm on Thursday, 15th February 2024
- Send member motions to [email protected] by 6pm on Thursday, 15th February 2024
- Final agenda with supporting information will be sent Thursday, 22nd February 2024
- Final date of registration – 6pm on Tuesday, 27th February 2024. Only fully paid-up members of Irish Cycling Campaign (including Dublin Cycling Campaign) as of 6pm on Thursday, 15th February 2024 can attend and vote at the AGM
- Annual General Meeting – Thursday, 29th February 2024 at 8pm – Online
How to Report Illegal Parking in Bike Lanes
Earlier in January, one of our members emailed the Garda National Roads Policing Bureau seeking clarity on how one should report illegal parking in bike lanes.
The questions posed are immediately below and the responses are beneath those.
1) Can it only be done at a Garda station? If there are other ways, please list all ways
2) Must photos be provided? If so, how? And is there anything else regarding photos that is required?
3) Must a statement be given in order for a penalty to be issued?
4) Are there restrictions as to when the report can be made? Eg. Next day?
5) Are there any other requirements when reporting illegal parking?
Response
Thank you for contacting this office.
With reference to your email hereunder, this office is to advise as follows in relation to your query.
With regards to the reporting of illegal parking of vehicles in cycle lanes, this office is to advise that reports can be made as follows;
- Reports can be made at your local Garda Station.
- Reports can be made using the Traffic Watch lo-cal number – 0818 205 805
- Reports can be to the relevant local authority.
It is advised that documentary evidence of an offence is recorded by reporting persons, such as photograph/video.
In submitting documentary evidence of a road traffic offence, the provision of a statement to a member of An Garda Síochána may be necessitated.
It is advised that reports to An Garda Síochána are made at the earliest convenience, to ensure an appropriate and timely response.
In the event that a prosecution is instigated against a vehicle user/owner by a member of An Garda Síochána following such report, the reporting party may be required to attend any prosecution before the District Court in a witness capacity.
Please find information on Traffic Watch from the attached hyperlink, which may be assistance to you:
https://www.garda.ie/en/roads-policing/road-safety/traffic-watch.html
Note:
The photo above was kindly provided by Noel Hogan in the Drogheda Cycling Group – https://www.droghedacycling.ie/. The image above shows illegal car parking on footpaths, not bike lanes in this case.