Cyclist.ie and Dublin Cycling Campaign made a submission on Mon 28th Sept to Dublin City Council re: the Proposed Point Roundabout Improvement Scheme Part VIII - as below. Overall, we support having this pretty horrid roundabout replaced by a signalised junction. However we think the Council could do A LOT better in regard to the scheme design. Thanks also to (former Chair of the Campaign) Will Andrews and to Cllr. David Healy for sending in their own detailed personal pro-cycling submissions.

Dear Sir/Madam,

I wish to make the following points in regard to the above scheme:

• We broadly welcome the proposal to replace the roundabout outside the (formerly named) Point Depot with a signalised junction. This roundabout is one of the most hostile elements of the City’s road network and, very sadly, was the location of a cyclist fatality a few years ago. The current layout enables vehicles travelling southwards along the East Wall Road to move onto the East Link bridge with little or no deflection and no speed reduction. The presence of historic rails on the roundabout itself - which needed to be negotiated sometimes while cycling with one hand stuck out in order to signal - was an additional very serious safety hazard.

• The planned provision of an additional northbound general traffic lane would appear to belong to an outdated paradigm of providing additional carriageway space for private vehicles. There doesn’t appear to be any additional priority being given to buses. How can this be reconciled with the City’s ambitions to reduce the modal share for private car trips in the city?

• Given the traffic levels and likely speeds, a green buffer should be provided between the cycle and footpaths and the carriageway. Space is only at a premium because the Council is prioritising (wrongly in our view) providing so many lanes for motor traffic.

• The Council needs to use the opportunity to plant trees along the full length of East Wall Road - from both an aesthetic perspective but also so as to absorb particulates from diesel engined vehicles (especially VWs!) using this route. It’s very disappointing that planting trees isn’t a standard part of a retro-fit of a road!

• The East Link Bridge has signing indicating to cyclists that they need to dismount. This is ridiculous. There needs to be a serious intervention to make this bridge safe for cycling. For example, ‘sharrows’ plus a notice stating that no overtaking of cyclists is to take place while transiting the bridge needs to be provided instead.

• Given the large numbers of pedestrians and HGV’s in this area, a speed limit of 20 km/h should be applied to this reconfigured junction and bridge.

• The treatment at the southern end of East Wall Road / link to the bridge is woeful. This needs to be revisited and redesigned so as to ensure that cyclists are not simply ‘pedestrianised’ at this location especially when continuing south onto the bridge.

• The curve from North Quays to East Wall Road is far too large a radius and therefore will encourage speeding. This corner needs to be tightened up substantially. Entry speeds approaching this junction need to be reduced especially given the nature of the adjacent buildings - concert venue and hotel with nearby residential areas on either side of the East Link bridge.

• The ‘double staggering’ of the pedestrian crossing from Point Depot to the Campshires means that many people (especially those pouring out of gigs in the Point) will ignore the signalised crossing. This is out of step with the standards in the mandatory Design Manual for Urban Roads and Streets.

• The Council needs to clarify signalling approach at the new junction. If all toucans give green at the one time then it might work for eastbound cyclists turning southwards on to Bridge. This needs to be revisited.

I would be grateful if you can provide an acknowledgement of receipt of this submission.

Damien Ó Tuama
National Cycling Coordinator