Providing cycling infrastructure is only part of the challenge of getting people on their bikes, writes Sylvia Thompson
Encouraging Irish people to get on their bicycles is a bit like trying to extract pearls from oysters.
Once they do emerge from their shells, they become beautiful, energetic and healthy looking.
A bit of a mixed metaphor perhaps, but cycling campaigners are in desperate need of a positive message to encapsulate the health benefits of cycling.
As our cities and towns become more and more jammed with cars, and our rural roads appear to be more dangerous for pedestrians and cyclists alike, there seems little incentive to get on your bike.
Yet, in spite of our heavy dependency on cars, there is a contingent of cycling advocates whose enthusiasm and commitment to cycling as a viable means of transport and an enjoyable leisure activity is inspiring initiatives in local authorities across the country.
Take South Dublin County Council for example, members of which recently participated in a European-wide scheme to evaluate and improve local cycling policy with a view to increasing cycle usage and cyclist safety.
"We already had a reasonably extensive network of cycling tracks and we are in the process of putting up cycling-parking facilities around the county near key bus stops and at central points in the main towns and villages," explains Muiris O'Keefe, senior traffic and transport engineer with South Dublin County Council.
"We have also done some work on safe routes to school in Clondalkin and Firhouse with road safety officers giving children safe cycling training," he says.
"There have been mixed reactions from parents and schools, with parents more reluctant than children. But Bypad [ the EU Bicycle Policy Auditing scheme, see www.bypad.org] made us realise this was an area which needed to be addressed."
South Dublin County Council is also looking at creating cycle paths in public parks.
"Our experience is that there is an inbuilt resistance to cycling yet we notice that the cycle tracks are beginning to be occupied. You have to put in the facilities before you can hope to get people cycling," says O'Keefe.
"There are slight inconsistencies throughout the county in our cycle tracks, the upgrading of which we have just begun to look at."
Members of the Dublin and Galway Cycling Campaigns have strong views on many of the cycle lanes that have been put in place in Dublin and Galway.
Although pleased that a network of cycling lanes is emerging - particularly in some parts of Dublin - they believe some of the cycle lanes (eg those that end abruptly or rejoin traffic at multi-lane junctions) make cycling even more dangerous than sharing a road with cars, buses and lorries.
"Urban sprawl, poor road design, the lack of enforcement of speed limits in urban areas and the fact that there is no policy banning heavy goods vehicles from residential areas all go against a good cycling environment. Yet still I cycle every day because I know the benefits outweigh the risks, and I can always be on time," says David Maher, spokesperson for the Dublin Cycling Campaign.
Cycling campaigners are adamant that cyclists should be part of the consultation process before new traffic flow systems are put in place (with possibilities for cyclists to cycle both directions on one-way streets and for alternative routes on multi-lane roads).
"Putting in cycling lanes on multilane roads which link roundabouts makes no sense," adds Shane Foran, chairman of the Galway Cycling Campaign.
However, infrastructural problems are one issue which needs to be addressed if more people are to cycle for transport or leisure. Getting people to experience the sense of freedom cycling can give is another, harder task.
"One of the main reasons I cycle is that it is much more sociable. It's so easy to stop and say hello to someone when you are on your bicycle. It's all these micro-encounters which are what neighbourhoods and communities are made up of," says transportation consultant and cycling campaigner, Damien O'Tuama.
"Cycling is something that can be integrated into your life very quickly and if you cycle to work or school, you never miss out on exercise," continues O'Tuama.
He believes that to genuinely encourage a cycling culture in our cities, the Departments of Transport, Health and Education together with the National Safety Council, the National Roads Authority and the Dublin Transportation Office need to develop collaborative policies.
"It's the cumulative effect of a spectrum of initiatives which produces a bicycle culture. In some cities in Germany, there are public bicycle pumps at city bicycle-parking locations. In the Netherlands , there are bicycle promotion weeks showing how you can carry children and shopping easily with seats, baskets and panniers on your bicycle.
"In some English cities, there are bike mates schemes where adults getting back to cycling can informally cycle with someone on the same route initially. In Copenhagen, there are free bicycles for use within the city limits although I don't think Dublin is quite ready for free bicycles yet," continues O'Tuama.
A number of businesses in Ireland have put in place covered bicycle shelters, and shower and locker facilities for employees who cycle to work.
A few have gone further, offering staff possibilities to buy bicycles at discounted prices and a cycling allowance to those who cycle to meet clients while at work. Limerick City Council has even put in bicycle lockers for its cycling employees.
Another event which the Dublin Transportation Office hopes will highlight the benefits of cycling is when Dublin hosts the international cycling conference, Velo-city, from May 31st to June 3rd this year. "As part of the conference, we will have a public traffic-free cycle through the city to encourage people to remember how good it is to be on a bicycle," says Michael Aherne from the DTO.
Speakers at Velo-City 2005 will address topics as diverse as cycling for children with learning disabilities to community action plans for cycling, urban cycling in Africa and sharing road space in Dublin.
International experience aside, one of the biggest developments in terms of getting children on their bikes are the cycling safety skills courses run by the Cycling Safety and Skills School, set up by Barbara and Noel Connolly.
Through a network of tutors working with local authorities in 20 counties around Ireland, the Celbridge-based couple have been giving primary school children from third to sixth class the essential knowledge for safe cycling.
"Cycling is a life skill in that if you learn it at an early age, you can do it for life," says Barbara Connolly.
"With obesity such a huge issue now, cycling is a marvellous way to give children a chance to gain hidden exercise. When children are taught road safety when cycling, it's something they will carry with them into riding a moped or driving a car later in life."
Another advantage of such skills training has been the development of family cycling clubs in some towns around the country.
"The vast majority of parents haven't cycled themselves so we also encourage parents to get out and cycle with their children. You'd be surprised how easy it is outside the main city centres. We also find that children who have done the cycling safety training are then more likely to cycle to school," continues Connolly.
Ultimately, training the current generation of children how to cycle safely to school, and for pleasure, could be one of the best ways of tackling rising levels of obesity.