Northside cycling issues raised

Issues with cycling infrastructure and accessibility on Leeside were brought before an Oireachtas Housing Committee this week.

Sinn Féin TD Thomas Gould said he raised the topics during a session on Transport-Oriented Development.

He said: “I was delighted that the Oireachtas Housing Committee extended an invitation to the Cork Cycling Campaign who have done really excellent work in raising issues around cycling in the city.

“Conn Donovan from the campaign gave some really insightful statements particularly around the need to make cycling a more convenient mode of transport.”

Deputy Gould added: “I asked Conn about the northside/southside divide we see in cycling infrastructure in Cork city.

“What’s clear is we need to see real infrastructure investment on the northside.”

Deputy Gould said his party conducted a Sustainable Transport Survey in his constituency last summer.

The survey found that 74 per cent of people feel they can’t cycle safely in their own areas while 61 per cent of people noticed cycle lanes that ended suddenly.

He continued: “Conn correctly pointed to the easy wins on the southside with greenways converted into cycleways.”

He said underfunding and neglect has left the northside without these areas suitable for easy wins.

The Sinn Féin TD also raised concerns with the pedestrianisation of areas in Cork city for those with disabilities or limited mobilities.

“He said: I would call on Cork City Council to liaise with the relevant local authorities and work through these issues.

“When planning future spaces and current space changes, we need to look at how healthy and accessible plans are,” he concluded.