Dublin’s traffic lights will soon feature flashing amber arrows to remind drivers when to give cyclists priority at junctions.
The new arrows were announced by Dublin City Council (DCC) yesterday.
On The Pat Kenny Show today, motoring expert Ger Herbert said this priority already exists, but a reminder is necessary as left-turning junctions often “prove fatal” for cyclists.
She explained how the priority works:
“When you come to a junction as a car, if you’re turning left and there’s a cyclist who’s going straight – you have to stop,” she said.
“You have to allow them to go first, and then you can turn left.
“The priority has been there anyway, but this is just helping people see how it works in operation.”
Dublin City Council is pleased to roll out Flashing Amber Arrows for left-turning vehicles on our Active Travel Network. How does it work? Cyclists have priority over turning vehicles when travelling straight through any junction.
Before making a turn, a driver must:
Yield to… pic.twitter.com/uPE9WCni0J
— Dublin City Council (@DubCityCouncil) September 9, 2024
Ms Herbert said it’s important for motorists to be aware of the risk they pose to cyclists.
“You have to be really vigilant when turning left because the thing about those junctions is they are probably the most dangerous for cyclists,” she said.
“It’s those left-turning junctions that really prove fatal for cyclists.
“The onus is on the motorists, given the size of their vehicle and the risk that they carry, to be extra vigilant.”
'Widespread'
Ms Herbert believes the flashing amber system will be used widely throughout the city.
“What [DCC] is saying is they’re rolling out tweaks to the capital’s traffic lights, so I would have assumed the majority of them are going to have this,” she said.
“I don’t know how long it’s going to take or whether it’s already in place and ready to go ahead, but it looks like it’s going to be widespread throughout the city.”
Education
Ms Herbert said Irish motorists may need some re-education.
“If you look at some of the comments on Twitter, motorists seem to think this is a new thing that’s being imposed on them,” she said.
“In the UK, what they brought in two years ago was what they call the hierarchy of road users, and it’s really just to reinforce to drivers using the road that the bigger you are, the more risk and responsibility you carry.
“It wouldn't be a bad idea to do something similar in Ireland, because I’m not sure that motorists really are aware of who has priority and their responsibilities.”
Seven cyclists, 16 motorcyclists, and three e-scooter users have lost their lives on roads this year.
Main image: Cyclists wait to cross O'Connell Street in Dublin. Image: David Lyons / Alamy Stock Photo
