Cycling routes in Cork city ‘feel unsafe’, says campaign group

The Cork Cycling Campaign has urged the NTA and Cork City Council to step up efforts to make cycling safer and more accessible across the city, following the findings of the Cork Cordon Survey 2024.

This survey was commissioned by the NTA and highlights that while overall sustainable travel rose slightly, cycling has declined by 18% since 2023 on the routes tested.

A spokesperson for the campaign said that as Cork faces pressing climate, congestion, and public health challenges, immediate action is required.

“For cycling to play its role, it must be far safer and more accessible than it is today. Parents tell us they avoid cycling with their children on busy streets.

“Commuters report leaving bikes at home because routes feel unsafe. These are everyday voices we cannot ignore.”

Safe links

They called for more comprehensive infrastructure such as cycling routes “rather than disconnected cycle lanes”, and safe links to Ballincollig, Carrigaline, Glanmire, and Blarney integrated with mixed-mode options like reliable buses and trains that can accommodate bicycles.

The campaign also calls for better data collection, saying current traffic counts provide only a partial picture, and fail to capture the full range of cyclist journeys or seasonal and weather variations.

The Cork Cycling Campaign monitors six locations using Telraam sensors, which detect two-wheel vehicles (bicycles, mopeds, and motorcycles). Its data shows significant cycling activity despite “inadequate infrastructure”, such as on Blarney St where two-wheeled vehicles made up 34.6% of traffic counted and Oliver Plunkett St where they were 24.1% of traffic.

“These figures demonstrate that people are already choosing two-wheel transport, but continued investment is essential to make cycling safer, more practical, and a real alternative to car travel,” said the spokesperson.