65% of the allocated funding for new EV grants is ringfenced for rural areas. Group calls for greater support for the switch to expersive electric and cargo bicycles.A pilot scrapage scheme aimed to replace internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicles with battery-electric vehicles (EVs) has been closed after just a month, as 2,000 owners of older cars snapped up a 5,000 grant. It is unclear if all of the grants have been fully processed at this point, but the demand is so strong that the scheme is closed to new applications. The Department of Transport said: The ICE2EV Pilot Scheme is now closed for applications, after exceptionally strong interest in the new grant from car dealerships and their customers.The initiative was backed by 10 million in funding from the Climate Action Fund under the Department of Climate, Energy and the Environment, meaning that 2,000 ICE vehicles will be removed from our roads and replaced by EVs, a spokesperson at the Department of Transport said.The scheme made a 5,000 grant available to replace petrol- or diesel-engine vehicles aged over 13 years with new battery-electric vehicles. This is in addition to the existing 3,500 SEAI grant, which is generally baked into the advertised price of electric cars in Ireland.The spokesperson said: The high level of interest reflects growing consumer engagement with the transition to EVs among both rural and urban motorists. This momentum supports Irelands Climate Action ambitions, including the target for 30% of the national vehicle fleet to be electric by 2030.The scheme was administered by SEAI, and early figures indicate a spread of demand across all counties, with 65% of the allocated funding ringfenced for rural areas. Applications shows a predominance of older vehicles (with most scrapped cars aged 16 years or more), and good uptake among smaller EV and lower-cost models, suggesting the scheme is meeting its key objectives, the spokesperson for the Department of Transport said.The Department said that it will work closely with SEAI to review and evaluate the pilot. While a note on the scrpage grants webpage said: A review of the scheme will be undertaken by the Department of Transport& SEAIfollowing its conclusion, examining uptake, emissions impact, and overall value for money, to inform any future policy decisions in this area.The Department added: The existing SEAI EV purchase grant of 3,500 remains available to all private customers and continues to see strong growth. An additional 37 million was allocated from the Climate Action Fund to support the high level of demand in 2026, including vehicles purchased through the scrappage scheme.Show us your budget, and well show you your prioritiesWhen the new scrapage grant was announced, Dublin Commuters, a group which advocates for sustainable transport, criticised the lack of grants for bicycles.8,500 worth of grants & trade-ins available for electric cars and still no sign of a bike scheme for people in non-typical employment or to trade a car in for a cargo-bike. Show us your budget, and well show you your priorities, the groups said at the time. le-de-France, a region in France which includes Paris, offers financial aid for the purchase of bicycles up to 50% of the cost, with a ceiling of 100 to 1200 of aid depending on the type of bike.Campaigners in Ireland argue that a 10 million fund could provide support for 10,000 or more electric or cargo bicycles for people and businesses thats compared with the 2,000 cars that are to be grant-supported via the ICE2EV scheme. The last Governments Programme for Government promised wider incentives for bicycles the move was widely supported by Ibec, Government and opposition politicians, Department of Transport officials, active transport and climate experts, and campaign groups. There is sustained criticism that the Cycle to Work only works for PAYE workers and a limited number of other people, leaving most self-employed people, students, retired and businesses with no support.But besides widening the limits of the Cycle to Work scheme to better suit electric and cargo bicycles, there was no move to develop grants or government-backed low-cost loans for bicycles. As reported in 2022, the Green Party pushed for bicycle incentives, but their coalitionpartners and other department officials opposed such moves. In 2023, then-transport minister Eamon Ryan responded to a party colleague by recommitting to having officials research bicycle incentives. Nothing was changed before the end of the government term, and the Department has not published any research on bicycle incentives.

100 million of Shared Island funding described as Get-out-of-jail free card for NI Railways.Construction of elements of the Dart+ Coastal North is to be accelerated using the Shared Island funding, the Department of Transport has confirmed. The Shared Island funding is ring-fenced for investment that has North/South benefits. A Department spokesperson told this website that Construction is planned to commence next year and be completed by 2029.The Dart+ elements being fast-tracked are signalling upgrades, a turnback facility at Malahide station, and a track loop at Clongriffin station.The funding amounts to 93 million linked to Dart+ Coastal North. The Department said that the Dart+ funding will help to avoid scheduling conflicts between the cross-border Enterprise and Dart services on the Northern Line. A press release said that the works would enable Enterprise trains to seamlessly pass stationed Dart and Commuter trains, helping to improve the efficiency and reliability of the service.Minister for Transport Darragh OBrien said:The allocation by the Government of Shared Island funding to these projects will allow us to further strengthen cross-border rail. I am particularly pleased to see the acceleration of works on Dart+ Coastal North ahead of the entry into service of the new Dart fleet next year, and the new Enterprise Rail fleet ahead of its entry into service in 2030.IMAGES: Photos of one of the new battery-electric Dart trains to enter service next year. MAIN IMAGE ABOVE: An artists impression of the new Enterprise train due to enter service in 2030.The delayed battery-electric Dart trains are to enter service on the line from Dublin to Drogheda next year, while new overhead electric trains will also start to replace ageing Dart trains. Until the line is electrified beyond Malhide, the latter trains will continue to terminate there, while the battery-electric trains will serve stations from Malhide to Drogheda. The Department of Transport said that another 35 millionfrom the Shared Island funding will be provided for the continuation of the hourly Enterprise service to 2030. This expansion of the services was also first introduced with Shared Island Fund funding in October 2024. The Department said the funding will be matched its own fundingIt highlighted that since the introduction of the hourly service, Enterprise passenger numbers have increased by approximately 40%.The plan also includes a commitment for the North and South departments responsible for transport to work with relevant agencies so that there is a 15-20 minute transfer time between the Dublin-Belfast and Belfast-Derry lines, allowing for shorter wait times and improving connectivity between the three cities. Get-out-of-jail free card for NI RailwaysAnother 100 millionof Shared Island funding is also being earmarked for which was described by the Department of Transport as a series of planned track renewal projects in Northern Ireland along the Derry-Belfast and Belfast-Dublin lines, helping to boost line speeds, improve reliability and enhance connectivity with the North West and the Dublin-Belfast corridor.A large chunk of that funding 86m is for planned essential maintenanceof a 14-mile section of the Derry to Belfast railwaySteve Bradley, chairperson of Into The West, which campaigns for rail improvements and new lines in the north west, told the Belfast Telegraph newspaper that this approach is very strange for a basic maintenance project when the Shared Island funding was supposed to be for strategic projects adding to connectivity between North and South. Bradley said: Now at the eleventh hour Dublin has been persuaded to pick up the bill for maintenance work that Storont itself is already committed to doing and paying for, on a section of rail line that is entirely within Northern Ireland. So for Dublin to be paying for this is very strange, and reinforces Stormonts long-standing tradition of refusing to do major capital projects in Derry and the north-west unless someone else picks up the bill.The Into The West group issued its own press release outlining that the work was already contracted to begin in January 2027, just 6 months from now. They also expressed disappointment that Donegal has been forgotten yet again in this latest Shared Island rail announcement, in what they expect to be the last of such funding. The Northern Ireland Department of Infrastructure spokesperson told the newspaper that We dont agree with their assessment of the funding.And while the spokesperson said that the Department had also ring-fenced funding, and that the Shared Island funding will also enable it to reprioritise its spending once an Executive budget is agreed, to make meaningful progress on the All-island Strategic Rail Review, there was no clarity provided on the exact nature of this. In a press release issued by the Department of Transport in the Republic, the Northern Ireland Executive Minister for Infrastructure, Liz Kimmins, said: The announcement of Shared Island funding to support Derry-Belfast-Dublin connectivity is very welcome. The investment the Shared Island fund is making in rail will accelerate improvements on the Belfast-Dublin and BelfastDerry lines, strengthening regional balance and connectivity.She added: This investment will pave the way for faster journeys and greater reliability for services between Dublin, Belfast and the North-West delivering a more cohesive rail network, connecting communities and boosting the thriving all-island economy.

Comment & Analysis: Thousands of people viewed the article published over the weekend covering confusion around new warning markings added to cycle tracks in Dublin. But some readers of the article or its headline expressed anger at its very existence, so lets look at that.Sadly, as with anything that is discussed regarding cycling safety, I first have to add a disclaimer: Nobody is saying that cyclists should not be cautious.A second disclaimer: This website covers details. If you dont like guidelines, research, or anything like that, its likely best to tune out now. For everybody else, lets look at a number of factsThere was confusion. When I asked on Bluesky what the signs were designed to warn about, people were giving contradictory answers. Giving contradictory answers to something that should have just one answer means theres confusion. Guessing something is not the same as knowing it. But even if you are guessing correctly, other people are guessing something else. That still means theres confusion. I know I could guess what some of the markings are about, and I might or might not be wrong. This is not how road signs are supposed to work; there is supposed to be clarity about what signs and markings mean.So, I really dont understand how anybody could claim there was no confusion. Yet, the article was getting replies claiming otherwise.The marking used was incorrect it does not comply with the guidance on signs or cycle routes. And the marking used is a copy of a sign with clear guidelines for its use, but those guidelines were not followed.Signs and use are governed by laws, guidelines, and even international agreements. This is not just for the fun of it; its in the interest of safety that there is clarity.Research titled Inclusive design at bus stops with cycle tracks, published by UK charity Living Streets, outlines that they found the issue was overuse and confusing use of markings on cycle tracks. This includes adding to the complexity of an environment, and the overuse of markings reduces their impact where they might be useful.Some of these issues should be familiar to readers. This website has previously covered how theres an overuse of dismount signs at locations along greenways where dismounting is not needed, and by the time you get to a location where dismounting is needed, youve seen so many warnings which were overkill that you might be likely to ignore the warning which should not be.The same goes for the more recent overuse of stop signs and restrictive gates on greenways in cases where a yield sign or even nothing should be in place. We generally overuse stop signs compared to other countries in Europe where you see a stop sign in the Netherlands, you know theres a real issue there, and it needs your attention. But we have a situation now where we have four stop signs at points where a greenway crosses driveways or really minor cul-de-sacs, or two where the route meets a footpath on the edge of a village On cycle tracks and bus stops, the Living Streets report outlines: Generally, we saw that in simpler environments cyclists were more free to pay attention to the wider environment, and thus more able to predict pedestrian behaviours. While it may be difficult to prove the specific role of paint markings in increasing complexity the addition of more markings seems likely to be an indicationof a suboptimal design. It also seems safe to assume this added complexity will mean markings distracting from one another.After readers had tagged me or contacted me about the photos, my initial outlook on the story was to wonder what the marking was warning about and why the council did not use the correct marking (a question they still have not answered). After spotting the marking on the Clontaf route, the issue of overuse becomes very clear. If anybody thinks warning markings especially vague or unclear ones every few or tens of metres is going to be helpful, youre going against much of what is known about signs and markings and how people generally take and filter information. Basically, Overuse means the markings will be filtered out.The Living Streets report indicates that it seems likely to be an indication of a suboptimal design. Is the city council really making that admission about its premier cycle route? Another question left unanswered is why are so many signs aimed at cyclists but not at motorists? Overall, this issue will likely not go far beyond the pages of this website. But one thing I see being an issue of liability for councils is the overuse of general slow markings and school warning markings on cycle tracks, but not on carriageways.

Comment & Analysis: When officials told councillors about a plan to speed up the delivery of cycle routes, councillors were lukewarm because, after many false starts, the elected reps were sceptical that the councils active travel team could even deliver, and some were (rightly) openly hostile to the idea of lowering standards further to deliver cycle routes faster.But one thing that sparked the interest of many councillors was the quiet streets approach, but what is it? At the very basic level, its the type of cycling infrastructure that does not generally include cycle paths or even lanes (although some sections may be needed along longer routes).When these kinds of routes are mentioned, some readers get even more sceptical than the councillors recently did, but its worth remembering that these kinds of routes make up the majority of the cycling networks in most Dutch cities. At the same time, mixed results in places like London are a clear warning that care is needed in designing the route. The key is that the routes must be traffic calming and genuinely low traffic, or make that way with interventions. Without any mention of quiet streets, Dublin City Councils Mobility and Public Realm committee meeting in May 2026 would have been even frostier for Active Travel officials. You can watch all that was discussed in this video:In a briefing document to councillors, officials said:From a preliminary study, AcTPrO [Active Travel office] has identified a number of routes suitable for delivery in part or in their entirety, using a Quiet Streets approach. As noted in Section 2, Quiet Streets are a method of adapting side streets through traffic calming and wayfinding to provide a suitable environment for cyclists to share space with vehicles due to their low speed and volume.The case study route provided is what is termed the St Stephens Green to Thomas St Active Travel Route, it is described as follows: Preliminary analysis undertaken of one of the Active Travel routes which could be delivered using a Quiet Streets approach is the St Stephens Green to Thomas St Active Travel route. This route is 1.6km in length and runs in an east-west direction, intersecting with three BusConnects Core Bus Corridors. It also immediately abuts the future DCC headquarters at Camden Yard along Camden Row to the south and Liberty Lane to the east. Further information is provided in Figure 3 below:IMAGE: Potential Quiet Street approach on St Stephens Green to Thomas Street route.Its routed via Liberty Lane, Camden Row, Montague Street, Long Lane, Malpas Street, Blackpits, Mill Street, Newmarket, Ardee Street, and Pimlico, where it would link to the unfinished Kilmainham to Thomas Street Active Travel Scheme.This is the IrishCycle.com trace of the councils map:Getting from the route to the most popular corner of St Stephens Green is straightforward: But the return is convoluted: First up, we have Montague Street and Camden Row:At the Harcourt Street entrance to Montague Street, all thats needed is the except cyclists sign and the associated signs and markings for allowing contra-flow cycling with no cycle track:Besides some markings and signs, nothing else seems to be needed on Montague Street:Given the constraints of the main street here at the crossing of Wexford Street / Camden Street, Im not sure what could be done here except for full signalisation, which seems unlikely for this type of project in Dublin City to date:Even the BusConnects plans for the project leave little or no scope for a non-signage solution:On Camden Row, markings and signs to allow legal two-way cycling here is mostly what is needed for this section (looking back towards Wexford St):Before going back to the other end of Camden Row (yellow, with the last section circled in green), its worth looking at Liberty Lane (circled in red):Liberty Lane unless its resurfaced at one level is not suitable for contra-flow cycling: The rest of Camden Row is the width of street, where if you suggest contra-flow cycling, people say itd be unsafe. But like many low-traffic streets of the same size, its already two-way for all traffic this part of the route onwards should also be a cycle street:At the Junction of Camden Street and Long Lane, the route crosses the north-south New Bride Street and Heytesbury Street.The north-south route this route crosses here is part of the Grangegorman to Portobello Active Travel Route, which is also a candidate on the councils list of routes for possible quicker action. The section of the route from the Grand Canal to near Christchurch and Dublin Castle used to be a primary cycle route and was mentioned to me as a priority to be built as far back as the Grand Canal Cycleways opening in 2010. Because of that, Ive looked at the route a few times over the years.Unlike some other candidate routes, the Werburgh St/Bride St/New Bride St/Heytesbury St corridor is relatively unrestrained especially since bus routes will be removed from the northern section as part of BusConnects. Both north-south and east-west routes should be considered together here, even if they are not being progressed together.One solution here is a modal filter area to the south of the junction, shown here in a green box this would benefit the (1) the north-south by reducing the through traffic on New Bride Street and Heytesbury and allowing them to become cycle streets, and (2) making the junction safer and more attractive for people cycling east-west.The east-west route should continue as a two-way cycle street on Long Lane although it is clearly narrower:To allow for two-way cycling here, there needs to be an area to pull in around the centre of the parking area:The next section of Long Lane is within the kind of width for the arrangement for contra-flow cycling without lanes that can be found throughout Europe, without any removal of parking, but care needs to be taken here to confirm the drainage channel and the buildouts at the trees are not issues:Before the route crosses New Street (Clanbrassil Street Lower / Patrick Street) is the first place where a contra-flow cycle track would be justified: It should be possible for the route to cross over into Malpas Street with the current traffic signals or with some small changes, such as advanced green lights for people cycling in both directions: On Malpas Street, traffic calming should be looked at:The same goes for Blackpits:Its the same for much of the area around Newmarket with junction treatments also key to making the route safe, attractive, and legible as a route: Unlike the first part of the route, the possibility of modal filters along the route could be looked at here. But this raises the question mentioned by some councillors of traffic management at the district level.With that, below is the area here bound by main roads, which should be looked at. Putting in a network of modal filters may be out of the scope of the route project, but some filters around the route could be looked at in a way that does not make things worse for the rest of the area:Ardee Street on both sides of Cork Street and Pimlico, where it would link to the unfinished Kilmainham to Thomas Street Active Travel Scheme, would also require additional traffic calming and route markings:But traffic calming can only do so much if routes are left open to through traffic. Because of that, a more northern route between Pimlico and St Stephens Green seems more logical to me longer sections of low-traffic streets.There would be some issues in need of overcoming some som parts of these options, including reworking short sections of Francis St and Meath St public realm projects to allow for contra-flow routes across the two streets, but these are interventions of the type the city should be doing systematically, regardless.Im not saying dont take the route the council is proposing, but if they are making it a quiet street route, it really needs to be quiet otherwise, people will quickly sour on the whole concept.Thats why I would like to see the New Bride St/Heytesbury St north-south, which the council also wants to do fast, rolled out first or at the same time. It would be a quiet street route as part of a wider route, with segregated cycle path/s on Bridge Street, etc. Finishing some form of a route between Grangegorman and Portobello is probably one of the fastest and most high-impact cross-city-centre routes the council could roll out without interfering too much in BusConnects routes or other city centre projects, etc. I know some people baulk at the idea of putting in routes that might be seen as a bit out of the way, like the Bride Street route is, but it would offer the first significant cross-city centre route (including using Capel Street, etc, shown in green), and the city council really needs to make progress on network building. At the moment, it seems to be running away from (delaying or abandoning) projects each time it hits some opposition or issues, such as another part of the city council or NTA saying no or not yet. This is from the councils own map, while the Grangegorman and Portobello options are highlighted in yellow:

A man in his 30s, who was cycling and suffered serious injuries in a collision involving a car driver outside Kilkenny during the week, has died in hospital.The collision happened on the L100 Tullaroan / Bonnetstown Road at Loughmacask just outside Kilkenny, Co Kilkenny, yesterday, Wednesday, June 24th, 2026.A Garda Press Office spokesperson said: Garda are appealing for witnesses following a serious road traffic collision on the L100 Tullaroan Road, Loughmacask, Kilkenny, Co. Kilkenny on Wednesday 24th June 2026. The collision involved a car and a cyclist and occurred at approximately 5:30pm.A male cyclist (aged in his 30s) was conveyed to St. Lukes General Hospital Carlow Kilkenny and subsequently Beaumont Hospital for treatment of serious injuries. He was pronounced deceased yesterday evening, Saturday 27th June 2026, they said.Gardai said that a post-mortem examination will take place in due course and that a technical examination of the scene was conducted.The spokperson added: Garda are appealing to anyone who may have witnessed the collision to come forward. Road users who were travelling on the L100 Tullaroan Road, Kilkenny, Co. Kilkenny between 5:00pm and 6:00pm on Wednesday 24th June 2026 and who may have camera footage (including dash-cam), are asked to make this footage available to Garda.Anyone with information or footage is asked to contact Kilkenny Garda Station on (056) 777 5000, the Garda Confidential Line on 1800 666 111, or any Garda Station.

Official marking for cycle tracks differs from what council has used.Dublin City Council has added non-standard and opaque warning markings to a number of cycle paths and cycle lanes across the capital. The marking has an exclamation mark and a yellow background a design which is supposed to include an explainer about what the warning is about. The road marking design is a copy of what is called the Other Hazard road sign. National guidance covering road signs, markings and traffic signals, the Traffic Signs Manual, states that this signshould not normally be used on its own, without specifying the danger. It outlines that a supplementary plate should be used and includes a strict list of messages to be used to make it clear what the hazard is.Given that the marking, when used as a road sign, has such stringent rules, IrishCycle.com asked the council why it is using the marking version in a way which confuses people. The council did not directly respond to this question.At least some international guidance and research points to issues with the overuse of signage, stating how it may be confusing, ineffective or even counterproductive.The new warning markings have been added to a number of routes, including the cycle lanes along the Grand Canal southwest of the city centre, the cycle paths on the Clontarf to City Centre Active Travel and Bus project, and along the Dodder Greenway, where it is a two-way cycle path.A spokesperson for Dublin City Council said: Renewed line marking and surfacing, along with additional signage and bollards, were recently installed at the Crumlin side of Dolphins Barn Bridge. The works were carried out to further improve safety at this location for all users and in particular for cyclists and pedestrians.This is in addition to the placement of planters and bollards to help protect cyclists from left-turning vehicles; digital speed detection signs on the inbound and outbound lanes of Crumlin Road; adjustments to the traffic signals at Dolphins Barn Bridge; changes to the inbound and outbound traffic lanes [on] either side of the bridge to reduce vehicle speeds and improve cycle safety, the council said.The council said that a fixed speed camera has also been installed by An Garda Sochana, with their assistance, near the filling station on the Crumlin side of the bridge.The council said: These interventions to improve safety are subject to trial and constant review. They have been carried out as interim, temporary works in advance of the comprehensive junction redesign, which is part of the Bus Connects Project.IMAGE: The cycle lane at the signalled junction with a new yellow warning marking painted on the cycle lane.IrishCycle.com asked readers via Bluesky and via other means what they think the markings mean there were clearly different responses, including some people thinking its about the pedestrian crossing (which it was beyond) and others thinking its about the junction, but still confusion over the point of the marking.The council did not respond to the part of the question about the markings on the Clontarf to City Centre Bus and Cycle route. The locations of these markings include before junctions, near car parking both inside and outside the cycle track, and other places where it is unclear why they are in place.IMAGES: The markings as installed along the Clontarf route.There is only one case where the marking is clearly used where text is painted beside the marking outlining it is a warning of the fire station ahead.Official marking not usedBoth the Traffic Signs Manual and the Cycle Design Manual include a Cycle Track Hazard Warning Marking, but this differs, most obviously in that it does not have a yellow backing see image below of its use on the DLRCC Deansgrange cycle path.The signs manual outlines that the Cycle Track Hazard Warning Marking may be used to draw cyclists attention to unique hazards along a cycle track and the cycle manual outlines that it should be used where two-way cycle tracks have priority at non-signalised junctions.Dublin City Council did not respond to why it did not use the correct warning markings. Road authorities, such as councils, are supposed to follow the Traffic Signs Manual and the Cycle Design Manual.IrishCycle.com also asked the council if, in cases where the warning relates to conflicts with turning motorists, any markings have been added to warn motorists. The council also didnt respond to this.Along the Clontarf route, the council has installed school warning markings and school zone markings on cycle tracks, but not on the carriageway.

An upgrade of the 325 metre cycle path on Nassau Street / Leinster Street, including widening the path to allow for two-way cycling and replacing most bollards and planters to concrete kerbs, has been completed.The project included converting the contra-flow cycle path installed during Covid into a two-way cycle path. As reported at the time, the former contra-flow lane was installed after a 32-year wait so the upgrade has been delivered much more quickly.The final adjustments include new traffic signals at the Leinster Street end of the street, at the junction with Lincoln Place (see below). The separate bicycle traffic signals were needed to avoid conflicts with traffic from the same direction that turns left at the junction.Dublin City Council said: Two-way cycle track on Nassau Street and Leinster Street is complete and ready for cyclists! These upgrades are part of the Dublin Active Travel Network, making it safer, easier and more pleasant to walk, wheel or cycle around the city.The quick-build upgrade was started in November 2025 and largely finished by early December, but the cycle track could not officially be made two-way until the new signals were in place.While the 325 metre cycle route has been welcomed, it is not connected to anything at either end.Because of opposition from art traders on Merrion Square who gained support from a number of local councillors the planned and delayed Trinity to Ballsbridge Interim Scheme was cut short. The still delayed route is planned to only run from Holles Street to Lansdowne Road, and that route itself is of a stop-start nature, with sections shared with bus lanes.IMAGES: Dublin City Council.

Dublin City Council has said it has added directional signage to its traffic arrangements to slow cycle path users at Fairview Park at the point where delivery access is provided for concerts taking place at the park during the Summer. At the point where the cycle path is blocked, commuters on bicycles are said to have been confused, with some entering the footpath, as intended, and others entering the bus lane. The ones entering the bus lane seem to think the cycle path was closed because there was no directional arrow indicating cyclists to use the section of footpath that was closed off.As the images above and below show, there were also no signs indicating where people should return to the cycle path.Before the council explained the thinking of what they had done, and added the new directional sign, Cllr Karl Stanley (Social Democrats) said that deliveries need to be facilitated to Fairview Park to support the concerts there, but he said he was mystified as to why this major arterial active travel route is blocked in this way.This blockage is 24/7 and has been running for several weeks, including days when there are no concerts at the park and no staff present to accept deliveries, he said.Cllr Stanley said: Surely a temporary banksman style solution would be the most appropriate approach here, with a staff member temporarily holding cycle traffic back while delivery vehicles cross the lane. This would minimise disruption to commuters and would also be considerably safer than blocking the lane, which forces cyclists onto the road and footpaths to get around this senseless barricade.When contacted, Dublin City Council told IrishCycle.com that improved signage has now been installed. Cllr Stanley added he will be requesting a better and clearer arrangement to be put in place from the start of the 2027 concerts in the park.A spokesperson for Dublin City Council said: The cycle track at this location is not closed. A temporary chicane has been introduced to slow cyclist speeds as they approach the access point to the park. This measure is in place for the duration of the concert series, including build and de-rig periods, when production vehicles are accessing the site at various times throughout the day and night.Movement of vehicles in and out of the site is managed by professional traffic management operatives on behalf of the event promoter, in line with the conditions of the event licence and the associated Traffic Management Plan, which forms part of the approved Event Management Plan. The chicane is designed to guide cyclists to reduce speed, move slightly to the left, and safely rejoin the cycle track immediately beyond the entrance, the council said.The temporary layout remains in place throughout the concert period to provide a consistent and predictable safety arrangement, recognising that delivery and production vehicles may be present at any time, said the spokesperson. This arrangement has been used for the past three years of concerts, including the last two years during which the continuous cycle route has been in place along the park.The council spokesperson added: Additional directional signage has also been installed to further assist cyclists in navigating the route. Dublin City Council will review the signage and continue to monitor the arrangement in the interest of safety for all road users.

Local coal supplier warns: If they are allowed to get away with it, there could be [a cycle path] outside your own door next. Sinn Fin rep continues to imply the project is just a cycle route when it includes new crossings, and footpath renewal and improvements. Rep says hes not anti-cycling while organising opposition to safety project and referencing the cost of bicycle sheds.While schools across the country are crying out for safe routes to school projects, the chairperson of Sinn Fin in Laois has questioned the need for an active travel and safe route to school project in Carlow.The planned Graiguecullen to Carlow town centre project, mainly running along Church Street, is around 750m long and runs along the north side of the road from Barrowvale Housing Estate in Laois and along Church Street, serving areas such as Oakley Park and the rear entrance of St Fiaccs National School, where it includes Safe Routes To School (SRTS) measures.The route links housing estates to the school and to the Aldi shop on the road before being routedbehind the Croppy Graves and into Carlow town park. A small section of the route is in the urban area of Graiguecullen in Laois. Graiguecullen is attached to but seen as separate from Carlow TownAs previously reported, the spread of misinformation about the project has caused local anger. Accounts from a public meeting which was organised by Sinn Fin rep Aaron Kelly and Independent Ireland Cllr John Cassin.Independent Ireland widely seen as a populist party is among the least supportive of active travel projects, with the partys leader spreading false claims that houses would be CPOed for greenways. While Independent Ireland leader and Cork TD Michael Collins complained last year of a summer of huge discontent and serious upset for farmers and landowners, it was after he was recorded giving a speech in which he spread baseless rhetoric implying that homes were at risk.More recently, in Carlow, at the first meeting organised by Cllr Cassin and Kelly, there were fears expressed about theuse of compulsory purchase orders (CPOs) for private gardens along the route not only is there no such plan, but the legal provision under which the project is being progressed does not allow for CPOs. There is also no indication of encroachments on driveways or gardens in the drawings or description for the Church Street project.After the previous meeting, the Mayor of the town, Cll Paul Doogue (Fine Gael), who attended the meeting, told local radio station kclr96fm.com that there was nobody at the meeting to answer peoples questions.Another continuous issue is a small section of car parking outside houses along the route. On that issue Cllr Doogue claimed on air that residents were losing all their parking, but only on-street parking on one side of the street is to be reduced, with parking retained on the other side of the street. Most residents also already have driveways, and there is also parking on the adjoining streets. After a second meeting yesterday, Kelly published a statement last night saying hes not opposed to active projects, just this one. Kelly said: Thanks to everyone who attended our 2nd public meeting tonight on the proposed cycle lane in Graiguecullen hosted by John Cassin and myself. There were plenty of excellent points made by locals and I want to assure you that your voices are being listened to and heard. We hope that we have answered all of your questions as best we can.Together, with the help of everyone having their say, we now have a template to use for making submissions, taking a collective approach to all issues raised at our public meetings. I want to restate the fact that this is not in opposition to cyclists or Active Travel initiatives but it is in opposition to this particular proposed route in Graiguecullen, he said.He also encouraged people to have their say and attend Carlow County Councils information event this Friday, June 26th, which is to be held from 3pm to 7pm at St Fiaccs Hall in Graiguecullen.In another statement from Kelly, which was issued at the start of the month, he said: I fully understand and appreciate the principle behind investing in safer infrastructure for pedestrians and cyclists. Encouraging active travel where practical is a positive objective, and there is certainly a place for well-planned cycling infrastructure in growing communities.However, I have serious concerns regarding the proposed cycle track between Graiguecullen and Carlow town and believe legitimate questions remain unanswered about the necessity, impact and prioritisation of this particular scheme, he said.He claimed theres little evidence presented to demonstrate significant local demand for a segregated cycle lane on this route, but a cycle route on the road forms part of established local policies in joint Carlow and Graiguecullen local plans, and as part of wider local planning. International evidence shows that cycle networks are most effective when they link places where people live, work, go to school, shop and socialise. Linking schools and residential areas is a very basic principle of that. Kelly said: Some residents and business owners have been contacting me to ask what research has been carried out locally to justify the project as none of them were contacted.He also posted questions such as How many cyclists currently use this route daily? when the current route is a regional road that links up to the Portlaoise Road the type of road which would widely be seen as unlikely to attract many people to cycling and would be especially not attractive to children or others who are unwilling to cycle in traffic. This is also born out by Irish and international research, which shows that people need segregated cycle routes before they are willing to take up cycling. Kelly said: Cyclists are already legally entitled to use the road network, and many locals are questioning whether the current arrangements are genuinely inadequate or whether this project is being driven primarily by broader national and EU active travel targets rather than local realities on the ground.There are no binding national targets for councils to implement safer cycle routes. While there is an EU-wide target to double cycling levels and halve cyclist fatalities by 2030, there seem to be only per-KM targets related to EU funding. EU funding of this type is usually for larger projects, such as higher-quality long-distance cycle routes or projects which help link member states.Kelly also questioned active travel funding at a time when communities are struggling with housing pressures, healthcare waiting lists, infrastructure deficits and the rising cost of living. But national active travel funding for 2026 represents just 7.6% of the transport budget and includes footpaths, crossings, cycle routes, greenways and Safer Routes to School projects the types of projects that are repeatedly shown to have high returns in terms of health benefits, road safety benefits and economic returns.Kelly claims that Taxpayers have repeatedly seen examples of excessive expenditure on projects with questionable value for money, including widely publicised controversies surrounding extremely expensive bicycle shelter projects funded by the State. Have lessons not been learned from those spending decisions and whether proper cost-benefit analysis is being applied before further public money is committed?READ MORE: Toxic populists are going to sour all public spending: No, secure bike parking for hospital staff is not the same as Dil bike shelter.Kelly also refers to possible parking loss could place additional pressure on traders already facing rising costs and challenging trading conditions, but its unclear which businesses he is referring to. The one business with on-street parking outside will still have parking very close.He also claims that resources would be better directed towards projects that would deliver wider and more immediate benefit to the area, particularly the proposed Carlow Southern Relief Road This road project, which has already received planning funding, which would cost many times more to deliver, would not be deliverable more immediately, active travel funding cannot be reallocated to roads, and roads funding already is many times larger.While in Kellys statements, he claims hes not anti-cycling or anti-progress, he repeatedly gives reasons for reallocating the funding and claims that congestion would be addressed through meaningful road infrastructure.As well as wanting active travel funding reallocated to roads, he somehow also wants it reallocated to footpaths implying that the planned Church Road does not include pedestrian improvements. He said: Another example as to how the Active Travel funding could be spent locally is on Eoin Hartes local campaign here in Graiguecullen, calling on improvements to footpaths for wheelchair users.On this point, he claims that The government are spending money because they have to, but are simply out of touch with the local people and businesses, but he does not explain what unmentioned people or groups are making the Government spend their own funding.This is not about me being anti-cycling or anti-progress. It is about ensuring that infrastructure decisions are proportionate, evidence-based, transparent and reflective of local priorities rather than centrally driven targets and spending agendas, he said. A local coal merchant has also objected to the project. In a post on Facebook, Marty ORourke of ORourke in Graiguecullen said: ORourke in Graiguecullen will be opposing the two lane bicycle lane going to obstruct my business in every way. If they are allowed to get away with it, there could be one outside your own door next.ORourke said: So I ask all locals in Graiguecullen, Carlow and surrounding areas to join us tonight at 8pm in Graiguecullen Clubhouse and 3-9pm this coming Friday in St Fiaccs Hall. Engineers etc will be there on Friday to answer any questions/ concerns etc.Parking will be maintained near the entrance to ORourkes business.

A special Pride Eve IBikeBop cycle is planned tomorrow. Friday, June 26th the cycle is part of the series of Critical Mass cycles that takes place on the last Friday of every month.I Bike Dublin, a cycling campaign group that organises the cycles, said everybody is welcome and invited visitors to the city to grab a rental bicycle and join in the fun.The cycle kicks off at 6pm sharp from Parnell Square North with an hour of relaxed cycling while music is played through speakers carried on cargo bikes. Its a special #PRIDE Eve #IBIKEBop with @ibikedublin.bsky.social this month 26 June 20266PMParnell Sq NIf youre visiting #Dublin why not grab a bikeshare @bleeperactive.bsky.social #MOBY@dublinbikes.bsky.social #CriticalMass phil wright (he/him) (@ukwrightphil.bsky.social) 2026-06-21T14:56:35.344Z