Drivers can't simply be the 'pantomime villain' in the face of expanding cycling infrastructure around Dublin, a transport commentator has said.
It comes amid signs are that the Government is looking to expand incentives and alternatives to driving, such as the Bike to Work Scheme.
Under the scheme, an employer can pay for a new bicycle and the employee then repays the cost in regular instalments from their gross salary.
Repayments are also not liable for tax, PRSI or the Universal Social Charge.
Conor Faughnan told The Hard Shoulder cycling is a safe option.
"Statistically cycling in Dublin city actually is very safe," he said.
"I know it doesn't feel it but if you look at the data, when we were growing up... it was statistically a great deal more dangerous than it is now.
"There has been some improvements - I have my complaints about the cycle lanes in Dublin, some of them I think are very poorly designed and don't get me started on the wands, but you can cycle.
"Every time somebody chooses to cycle it is an incremental gain for the city".
'Potential for e-bikes'
Mr Faughnan said he believes there is more potential for e-bikes around the capital.
"You convert more people to do it with benign positive measures like the Bike to Work Scheme," he said.
"I think there's real potential for e-bikes as well.
"If your range is just a little bit too long... an e-bike triples the effective range for the commuting cyclist.
"So I think we should be supporting those strongly".
'Making it easy'
Mr Faughnan said people will always choose the most convenient approach.
"People do what is convenient for them and the thing about cycling is once the habit is formed it becomes sticky," he said.
"You get people who say, 'I would never cycle' and then they do - and ask them six months later and they swear by it.
"It has to be around making it easy.
"What you can't do is simply make the car user the pantomime villain of the piece and say to yourself that anything we do to bugger up cars must by definition be constructive.
"I think that's a flawed approach."
Mr Faughnan said people who drive cars shouldn't be blamed for other problems.
"We're trying to live in cities that do have inadequate public transport by European standards - we're trying to invest in them and that is all definitely good," he said.
"Dublin city is pushing two million people now and it still doesn't have a metro from the airport.
"It's not the fault of the active motorist".
'Don't perceive it as safe'
Trinity College Dublin Professor at the School of Engineering Brian Caulfield told the show cycling is simply "not safe enough".
"I think it is the cycle lanes, it's also the cars parked in cycle lanes," he said.
"The lane that I travel into Trinity wouldn't have that much segregated cycling, there's lots of buses in those lanes.
"From that perspective I don't perceive it as being safe."
'Quicker and cheaper'
Prof Caulfield said more segregated infrastructure would be welcomed.
"Equally with public transport whether or not people perceive public transport to be safe or viable," he said.
"Public transport and cycling are up against the car, which is very convenient because it's right there.
"In most cases in Dublin, and right across the country, it's quicker and perhaps in some cases cheaper.
"That's why people are using their cars more often," he added.
The Labour Party has previously called for the Bike to Work Scheme to be extended to schools.
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