Cork County Council to seek to identify site for 'Learn to Cycle' track 

A funding source and a location will be sought and identified by Cork County Council as they seek to implement a Learn to Cycle track in the Carrigaline Municipal District.

The aim of a Learn to Cycle track is to allow young children to learn to cycle on a ‘real life’ road structure with lines, signs and a pedestrian crossing without the traffic.

Fine Gael councillor Michael Paul Murtagh brought forward the motion at a recent Carrigaline Municipal District meeting calling for the MD to look into the viability of a Learn to Cycle track on the Railway Walk Green in Crosshaven, similar to such a track in Dungarvan.

Cllr Murtagh also asked the council to write to the Road Safety Authority to contribute to funding this educational tool.

The motion received unanimous support from councillors who urged the council to investigate a suitable location for the Learn to Cycle track.

Vincent Florish, Executive Engineer, said that the location identified by the councillor would not be suitable. 

“The green area next to the Greenway car park in Crosshaven is planted with numerous trees so the creation of Learn to Cycle park at this location could impact on the tree roots. There is no land identifiable for this project on the Greenway side of the R612. Should land be identified to the south of the R612 for this project it would require the local authority to purchase as I can’t see any current parcels under our control in this area,” he said.

The executive engineer also said they have no fixed price for the project. “Learn to Cycle Dungarvan cost €50,000. The €50,000 is not a fixed amount as this project would require, we go to etender and seek contractors prices for a layout, only when we go to market would we have current construction costs.” 

Cork County Council senior executive officer, Nicola Radley said the council will seek to identify a suitable funding source and location for this project. 

“We will seek to identify a suitable funding source and a location. There is huge merit in it. We are very supportive of the premise of the notice of motion, and we have contacted the likes of Cycle Ireland and Active Travel. We will continue to pursue it with the intent of putting it in place, if possible,” she added.