Dublin Assault Appeal As Garda 'Saddle-Up'

As Gardai at Dublin's Pearse Street seek witnesses to a serious assault last month, (15th June) - during the capital's annual Gay Pride Week - garda 'on-the-beat' in Dublin look set to get even more flexible, with an increase in the number of officers on bicycle patrol.

The number of officers on bikes will almost quadruple today, with an increase of 359 bicycles on the street. There are already 130-mounted garda in the city.

Some stations will be part of the roll-out scheme for the first time.

Launched by Justice Minister Dermot Ahern and Police Commissioner Fachtna Murphy at Store Street Garda Station today, the scheme has come a long way since its inception in 2001.

Back then only two Dublin districts took part in the pilot scheme before the mountain bike team was expanded throughout the Dublin Metropolitan region, after one year, followed by the introduction of the scheme, on a phased basis, in Cork, Limerick and Galway.

There are currently over 1,050 officers trained and equipped for mountain bike patrols, in the country.

Gardaí say the mounted officers are very popular with local communities and business groups.

The cycle move today coincides with the police's new appeal for information on the June assault, around 7.30pm on Wood Quay, in which two men assaulted another male causing him serious head injuries.

In particular Gardai would like to speak to a female who witnessed this June 15th assault and who got a taxi driver to call 999 and seek an ambulance. This woman then got this taxi to the Ballyfermot area of Dublin.

This woman was able to provide the taxi driver with very accurate descriptions of the cuplrits and what had happened.

This lady should contact Pearse Street Garda Station at 01-6669000 or her local Garda Garda Station.

Meanwhile, today's bike-cops move comes amid growing concerns about the level of overall traffic congestion in Dublin city centre.

Some have suggested that traffic movement in the city is now at a slower pace than a 19th century horse drawn carriage, with the average speed of commuters at 12 km per hour.

The Dublin Transportation Office has said a typical car journey in the capital is now 17% slower than it was in 2005, when the average car speed was 14.4kmh an hour.

In 1997, cars travelled at an average of 18.6kmh, which is a startling 34% faster than they do now.

The Office now wants to combat congestions by banning cars from accessing key parts of the city.

However, there is little suggestion that the Transport Minister, Noel Dempsey, will introduce any form of congestion levy until public transport standards improve in the city.

(PR/JM)