Madam, - Sean Finn (May 27th) is rightly concerned by the number of cyclists riding on Dublin's pavements, but I wonder if he understands what factors might motivate riders to quit the road in favour of the pavement for part of their journeys.
Riding on the pavement confers no advantage to the rider in terms of journey time or convenience. It is an obstacle course and it certainly does pedestrians no favour either, as he points out. The Dublin Cycling Campaign, the advocacy body for commuting cyclists, does not condone this practice; but it is important for the city's traffic officials and the Garda to understand why some riders don't wish to cycle on the city's roads.
The millions of euro spent - or wasted, depending on your view - on so-called cycling infrastructure has not resulted in a quantum increase in the number of commuters taking up the bike and leaving the car at home. Newcomer cyclists, in particular, find the city streets hostile due to congestion; the proliferation of high-speed, multi-lane, one-way streets and multi-lane gyratories, such as D'Olier/Westmoreland streets, so beloved by traffic engineers (to achieve a high throughput of vehicles); and finally to the crowding of too many buses, coaches and taxis into what are mostly sub-standard lanes that bring these wide-bodied vehicles too close to the rider for comfort and above all, safety.
What doesn't help either is the proliferation of wide-bodied and domineering SUV/4x4 and van-type vehicles that now make up about 10 per cent of the taxi and private car fleet.
The response of some riders is to conclude that there is no parity of esteem for bicycles and they take to the pavements to protect their lives.
Unless these issues are addressed then there will be no increase in commuting by bike and sustainable travel goals will not be met. - Yours, etc,
MIKE McKILLEN, Chairman, Dublin Cycling Campaign, Seaview Terrace, Dublin 4.