Protections for Cork city cycle lanes welcomed 

New protections for cycle lanes in Cork city have been welcomed.

The Green Party in Cork has welcomed the installation of bollards along cycle lanes on Alfred Street and Washington Street.

Works began late last week on installing protective bollards at Alfred Street near Kent Station, while the Washington Street works were completed earlier in the week.

Councillor Oliver Moran said these were two of the most misused cycle lanes in the city, and claimed that cars and taxis were parking in them regularly.

"Two new night-time taxi ranks were provided by Cork City Council earlier in the year at Grand Parade and Hanover Place. The new protected cycle lane on Washington Street will mean a clear and safe route for workers and students from the city centre to UCC. 

"Very soon that route will be extended to CUH for medical workers too, making it particularly important at this time," he said.

"The cycle lane at Alfred Street was notorious for illegal parking. This lane will be essential to sustainable transport from the train station and the new 'low- or no-car' office and housing developments around it. It will be connected to the city centre as part of plans for MacCurtain Street. 

"That will also mean the Mercy Hospital and the train station being connected by a near continuous and protected cycle lane by 2022," he added.

Mr Moran said that having these lanes protected followed a long campaign, led by cycling groups and supported by the Green Group on Cork City Council and other councillors like Solidarity's Fiona Ryan. 

The funding to do so is part of a Covid-19 stimulus programme of sustainable transport works announced by Transport Minister Eamon Ryan.

Cork City Council has undertaken these, as well as other cycling developments such as resurfacing and the installation of additional bike racks, across the city as part of the Re-imagining Cork programme.

The programme, which is an immediate response to social distancing requirements resulting from Covid-19 and an acceleration of the City Council’s vision for a city of sustainable urban growth, will see up to €2 million invested in cycle infrastructure.