GARDAÍ have issued a warning to drivers in Cork against parking in cycle lanes, saying it is dangerous and will attract fines.

It comes after a video, taken from a bus in Ballincollig, showing a number of cars parked in a cycle path, was posted on Twitter. A large number of cars can be spotted parked in the cycle lane as parents drop children off at school.

The video has been watched more than 30,000 times in just a few days, prompting some emotional reactions on social media.

Head of Cork’s Divisional Traffic Corps, Finbarr O’Sullivan, said they would be paying attention to the issue.

Architect Karl Diskin, who posted the video on social media, said this behaviour is extremely common. “I typically cycle to work and I encounter this all the time,” he said.

“There is a lot of debate in Ireland about increasing cycle infrastructure and there is a lot of pushback against that from people who see the issue as bikes versus cars.

“I think Irish cities are far far behind where they are meant to be in comparison to our European neighbours, in particular Denmark and Holland.”

He insisted that more cyclists on the road is a good thing for motorists. “Cycling has a really key part to play in short trips, particularly in the suburbs as a way to reduce traffic,” he said.

“Done right it is a very complimentary thing. If you encourage cycling you have fewer cars on the road.”

Mr Diskin said at the moment cycling was too dangerous and as a father, he would not let his children cycle to school.

He said there are a number of simple measures that could be taken to reduce the risk for cyclists on roads.

“Barriers between bike lanes and the vehicle lanes would be a start,” he said.

“There are different solutions in different contexts but very simple things can make a big difference. Things like flexible bollards and low kerbs, for example.

“The road needs to be designed so that if you pull over, the logical place to pull over is on the line between the lane and the bicycle lane. That should be the edge of the road, at the moment you just look at the raised kerb.”

Mr Diskin said with better infrastructure more people would cycle.

“Not nearly enough people cycle in Cork. There is a huge middle ground where if you provide infrastructure people will cycle. If you build it they will come.”