15th October 2001

PRESS RELEASE

GREEN PARTY CALL FOR ACTION ON COASTAL CYCLE ROUTE

The Green Party has accused Dun Laoghaire - Rathdown Council of dragging its heels in providing the Cycle Route Network outlined in its own Development Plan. The 1998 Dun Laoghaire – Rathdown County Development Plan lists fifty-eight cycle routes within the county, including a route from Booterstown to Dalkey, yet most of these routes have not been completed.

“This Cycle Route should have been a flagship project,” stated the Green Party’s Ciarán Cuffe, “yet neither this project nor many of the other routes have been delivered. I feel that the Council should make this route a top priority.

“It appears that less than one third of the routes listed have been completed. This kind of planning makes a mockery of the Development Plan’s promises and leaves cyclists stuck on the hard shoulder. The Dublin Transportation Office has promised to make cycling a top priority, yet how can it do this when Local Authorities are failing to deliver the goods?

“As a keen cyclist I am conscious of the work that remains to be done to make the County cycle-friendly. Despite the works recently completed on the Stillorgan Road, there is still much work that needs to be done before we can say that the needs of cyclists are being met.

The Coastal Cycle Route is intended to link Booterstown to Dalkey via the Rock Road, Blackrock Park, Main Street, Newtown Avenue, Seapoint Avenue, Seafront, Queens road, The Metals, Barnhill Road to Castle Street in Dalkey.

ENDS

Information contact:

Ciarán Cuffe, Dáil Candidate  087 265 2075 or 618 3082

Stephen Rawson, Press Officer 087 235 7551 or 618 4088