Local authorities in Galway and elsewhere have 'squandered the opportunity' to improve cycling infrastructure over the past year, according to one campaigner.
Martina Callanan of the Galway Cycling Campaign says the solutions for safe cycling and walking are well-known, and "we're not talking about building spaceships".
While car traffic remains at lower levels than 2019 and early 2020, CSO figures how there have been steady increase in traffic volumes in recent weeks despite the ongoing restrictions.
Meanwhile, the rapid changes to transport habits across the country have led to fresh debates about the future of commuting once the pandemic is open, with many calling for a focus on new walking and cycling routes.
Ms Callanan told The Hard Shoulder an opportunity has been wasted.
She said: “Local authorities and councils across the country - particularly here in Galway - have squandered the opportunity of the last year to… put in the foundations for the fundamental changes we all want to see.
“We’ve had a year of reduced traffic, but more injuries and fatalities. Then there are the people who want to walk and cycle - we saw last spring / summer a doubling in the number of people who went out on their bikes.
“Why did they do that? It’s because they felt safe on the roads. Why were they safe on the roads? Because there was less vehicular traffic.”
She said all is not lost, and there's still a chance to do the right thing now.
She pointed to measures that have been put in place in Dublin, such as temporary cycle lanes in the city centre.
However, she said 'zero' efforts have been made in Galway to implement similar measures.
She said campaigners were pleased about the addition of bollards at one particular junction in Galway, but there's been 'so little progress elsewhere'.
As well as changes to the roads themselves, Ms Callanan said the city needs to see the likes of bike shelters that are protected from the often wild Atlantic weather.
She said: “The solutions for safe cycling and walking infrastructure are well known - there are countries around the world who’ve been doing this for decades.
"We’re not talking about building spaceships.”
'We need that revolution'
Senator Pauline O’Reilly, leader for the Green Party in the Seanad, said she's 'absolutely noticing' more traffic on the roads even compared to the first lockdown.
She said: “I don’t want to be in position of shaming anybody, but I think one thing that’s very clear is it’s really showing up how much we need that revolution in transport when we’re out of COVID as well… so we’re not back in the same old rat run.”
Senator O'Reilly said investment in infrastructure does take time, and her party has only been in government for less than a year.
However, she’d have liked to see some additional short-term measures - particularly in Galway.
She told Kieran: “I would love to see that people would get behind cycling and walking at Salthill, for instance. I do think there’s still an opportunity there for councillors and the executive… to get behind that.
“Now, what we’re seeing is a lot of the parking has been taken away temporarily… so even seeing temporary cycle lanes would be a really good thing. I think the public would get behind it.”
She acknowledged that people will likely have to put up with a 'bit of disruption' while major changes are implemented.
However, she believes climate-friendly transport changes will ultimately make people's lives better - so it's something that does require a 'leap of faith'.
