Fianna Fáil Commit To New Cyclist Safety Legislation

Fianna Fáil has committed to bringing forward legislation aimed at improving road safety for cyclists.

Spokesperson on Transport, Tourism and Sport Robert Troy,

Deputy Troy made the commitment after attending the Stop Killing Cyclists vigil which was held outside Leinster House yesterday evening.

Deputy Troy said: "Cyclists face a number of dangers on our roads as they have to contend with cars, buses and trams. They are vulnerable road users and a small collision with a moving vehicle can have fatal consequences.

"14 cyclists have already lost their lives on Irish roads so far this year. This is 4 more cyclists than who were killed in all of 2016. This trend is alarming when you consider road safety figures have been improved for other road users. It shows that the Government needs to recommit its efforts towards promoting road safety measures for cyclists.

"Yesterday evening I met with representatives of The Stop Killing Cyclists vigil which was held outside Leinster House. These cyclists detailed the challenges they face on a daily basis as they try and navigate busy roads. Many of them have been lucky to avoid serious injury in recent years. Their accounts clearly demonstrate that additional measures are needed to promote road safety for cyclists.

"The Government needs to support the rollout of infrastructure such as segregated cycle lanes and ensure that there is greater enforcement of the legislation governing the use of cycle lanes. However we also need to make motorists aware of their presence on the road and ensure that they act responsibly when sharing the road with cyclists. Everyone needs to acknowledge that there are multiple users of the road, and we need to organisations such as the RSA continue with their work on promoting road safety for all road users."

Deputy Troy said that specifically there needed to be an increase in the minimum required distance between a motorist and cyclist when overtaking.

(MH/LM)