Cycling News

Ministers Contacted on Road Safety

Shane Foran, Safety Officer Galway Cycling Campaign -Feachtas Rothaiochta na Gaillimhe c/o Galway One World Centre, William St. West, Galway.

The Government ministers and opposition TD's with responsibility for Health, Tourism and Enterprise and Trade have all been contacted by road safety campaigners this week. The Galway Cycling Campaign (GCC) has written to raise serious concerns about the progress and effects of the current Government strategy on road safety, the primary aim of which is to reduce fatalities by 20% over the 1997 figures. In the year 2000 deaths were down by 57 or 12% on the 1997 figures. However the drop in road deaths is due entirely to a drop of 58 in the number of cyclists and pedestrians killed, deaths to car occupants actually increased by 41 or 19% over the same period.

"It is highly unlikely that it is becoming safer to walk or cycle on the Irish roads network." says campaign spokesman Shane Foran. "According to the NRA in uncongested conditions the average free speed of cars in on main roads in urban 30 mph zones is 45 mph. In an impact at this speed an unprotected human being has less than a one in ten (1/10) chance of survival. It is reported that on main/national roads in 30 mph zones 94% to 99% of cars are speeding. In residential areas 68% of drivers are speeding". According to the cyclists the most likely mechanism for the effect seen is a drop in the number of people walking or cycling and they cite recent ESRI figures in support.

"This suggests that the relevant authorities have reduced the Irish Road Death figures through the simple expedient of letting the Irish roads network get so dangerous that people are too afraid to walk or cycle or let their children walk or cycle" continued the campaign spokesman.

The GCC has had longstanding concerns on various aspects of Irish policies including road and junction designs, speed management practices, speed limits and compulsory seatbelt wearing by car occupants. They view the current pattern of road deaths as an additional threat which gives the NRA, the Gardai, the National Safety Council and Dept. of Environment a clear self-interest in keeping the Irish roads network as dangerous as possible for cyclists and pedestrians. A necessary corollary of such a policy is that a high background level of crashes, particularly material damage crashes, will accompany it. According to the GCC this creates a direct conflict with other Govt. Departments like Health and Tourism that are trying to promote walking and cycling. A high background level of car crashes also implies high insurance claims and hence conflicts with the current efforts of the Department of Enterprise Trade and Employment to reduce the burden of motor insurance premiums.