The proposed new on-road cycle lanes for part of the N6 Bothar na dTreabh should be “the model used for all new lanes across the city”, according to North-West MEP Jim Higgins.
MEP Higgins has welcomed plans by the Galway City Council to remove the current cycle lanes from the Dunnes Stores Terryland stretch of the N6 Bothar na dTreabh, and replace them with new on-road cycle lanes this year.
“The existing cycle lanes, which were built in the 1980s, were of a very poor design,” said MEP Higgins. “These new lanes are much better. Cyclists will be able to overtake buses stopped at bus stops and thus avoid coming into conflict with pedestrians.”
MEP Higgins said the new lanes also take account of the needs of cyclists.
“For years the cycle lanes at the N6 had no proper start or finish. It was actually impossible for cyclists to use these lanes legally,” he said. “If proper, usable facilities are provided the number of cyclists will increase in Galway.”
However the MEP said it was a “shame” that the lanes currently being built at the Seamus Quirke Road “will force cyclists to come into conflict with alighting bus passengers”.
He condemned the Seamus Quirke Road cycle lanes as being of “poor design, and in years to come, we will have to replace them”.
MEP Higgins has also written to City Hall to ask for advanced stop lines to be placed at junctions as standard throughout the city. These are the red boxes, which are common in Dublin, and allow cyclists making a right turn to get ahead of stopped cars and turn right safely.
“On the continent this measure has been successful for cyclist safety,” he said. “Any new road surfacing projects in the city should include them as standard.”
