The Dublin Cycling Campaign is an independent, voluntary lobby group that has been working to improve the city for all cyclists for over a decade and a half.
Sign up to our free email newsletter to keep up to date
2010-02-12 - PRESS RELEASE - Feachtas na gCoisithe - The Pedestrian Campaign.
PRESS RELEASE - 12 February 2010
Pedestrians welcome city centre 30 Km/h Zone
The recent extension of the 30 Km/h zone in Dublin city centre should be welcomed as an
improvement for pedestrians and a step towards a pavement city, which gives all citizens a better
quality of life. The speed limit changes the Dublin we know, in a way that very much enhances
our quality of life.
Pedestrians in the city centre include residents, shoppers and working people. The new lower
speed limit improves conditions in the city centre for each of these groups of people. This
group includes children and the elderly as well as adults, and parents with prams, etc.
Pedestrians in the city centre run a daily gauntlet of speeding cars, long waits for pedestrian
crossing signals, poor pavement surfaces and high levels of noise. The lowering of the speed
limit in this small area means that noise levels will be more tolerable.
Pedestrians are also those at most risk of injury in incidents involving motorists and pedestrians
in city centres. Not many motorists have been injured or killed in such incidents. The lower
speed limit means that conditions will be safer for all pedestrians and other road users, as
motorists and pedestrians will have more time to react. Any injuries sustained will also be much
reduced.
Any attempt to reverse the recent speed limit extension, which would save motorists 30 seconds
at most, would be a retrograde and pointless step. The limits should be retained and extended to
other high volume pedestrian areas throughout the city and country.
We hope that the 30 Km/h speed limits in urban areas will be part of an extended package of
measures that will welcome pedestrians back to our city centre. This should include setting out
a plan for pedestrian routes in the city centre, further pedestrianisation and cutting the maximum
waiting time at pedestrian crossings.
Feachtas na gCoisithe - The Pedestrian Campaign, is a new organisation, which has been
established to provide a voice for pedestrians interests in modern Ireland. Walking is the most
environmentally friendly and democratic way to get around. The group plans to promote
pedestrian rights by ensuring that planning decisions and other projects take consideration of the
needs of people who choose to walk.
For more information contact:
Oisín Ó hAlmhain,
coisithe@googlegroups.com
- Blogs:
