On the right track

On the right track2

Dublin City Council has some good news for Dublin Four’s cyclists, having approved the construction of a cycleway that will link Ringsend with Fairview, via the Samuel Beckett Bridge.

The route will be the second phase of the Sutton to Sandycove cycleway, with the initial phase linking Sutton to Fairview, and the final stage Ringsend to Sandycove. Work will begin on phase one later this year with a view to completion in 2014, when the second phase will begin construction.

The Sutton to Sandycove cycleway, first proposed 12 years ago, will stretch for a total of 22km on completion, making it one of Europe’s longest cycling promenades.

The Council have also approved an expansion of the Dublin Bikes Scheme, with 58 new hire points, servicing 950 bicycles. Currently, 550 bicycles are in use at 44 points, all relatively close to the city centre.

The expansion will increase the radius of the scheme to cover the inner suburbs with stations at South Dock Road and Barrow Street. Work on the expansion will commence in October and the Council plans to have it fully operational by next Summer.

Labour Councillor Maria Parodi has been campaigning for the service to fully expand into the Ringsend and Sandymount areas. She told NewsFour that the project is currently in its second phase and she expects phase five to fully encompass Ringsend and Sandymount. She calls the expansion “a huge success for the local community,” and promises to “continue to campaign for the further extension of the scheme to ensure we get stations throughout Ringsend, Irishtown, Sandymount, Ballsbridge and Donnybrook.”

The additional funding for the expansion is expected to be raised through advertising, with the Council hoping to involve local businesses. The annual subscription for users is set to double from €10 to €20, while a three-day pass will increase from €2 to €5.

By Eric Hillis