Sir, – Fionnuala Walshe notes that in Galway the older streets are often so obstructed by cars that cyclists do not have space to get past the often static lines of traffic (Letters, August 30th).
This is a model of “cycling provision” that the city council roads department is planning to extend across the city. The council engineers are proposing to use “active travel” funding to narrow various roads around the city so that the current traffic lanes are reduced to 2.75 metres or three metres.
Although the engineers are calling these “cycling network strategy” schemes, no separate provision for cycling is proposed.
A Nissan Qashquai in the centre of a three-metre lane will leave a residual 60cm of lane space on each side. A Ford Transit with the mirrors folded out will leave 26cm on each side. An articulated trailer will leave 23cm on each side.
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According to the National Cycle Manual, the design width of a human on a bicycle is 75cm, which is wider than the residual road space the council engineers propose to provide for cycling.
Therefore Galway City Council’s cycle network proposals are based on a model of provision where people on bikes can expect to be routinely obstructed and impeded during times of queuing traffic. – Yours, etc,
SHANE FORAN,
Galway.
