On Thursday 11th of April, Dublin Cycling Campaign held a special public meeting to help prepare our messaging ahead of Local Elections 2024. Our focus was on pinning down the priority issues that we want Dublin based Local Election 2024 Candidates to keep to the fore.

Our starting point was the overarching / general list of Asks for Local Election Candidates that Irish Cycling Campaign recently developed. These are listed just below with more details on them on the Irish Cycling Campaign web page:

1. Higher sustainable transport targets
2. Rapid advancement of Cycle Networks
3. Advancing School Streets and Safe Routes to School
4. Higher quality cycle facilities
5. Upskilling of Local Authority staff and Councillors
6. Default 30km/h speed limits in built-up areas
7. Development plans to prioritise
   – Land use planning that prevents car-dependent sprawl
   – Proper permeability and connectivity
   – Mandatory bike parking at new developments
   – Maximum, not minimum, numbers of car parking spaces
   – Encouraging car share
8. Plans below Development Plan level mirroring the above
9. Supporting voices from cycling advocacy to be on Council Committees
10. Enforcement of illegal car parking dealt with effectively
11. Imaginative promotion of everyday cycling for multiple journey types
12. Auditing and maintaining all sustainable transport facilities to high standards

The Dublin Cycling Campaign public meeting endorsed all of the points above, but with participants putting a special importance on the following:

• Continuing to steadily advance the design and construction of the cycle networks in each of the four Dublin Local Authority Areas (Dublin City, South Dublin, Dun Laoghaire Rathdown and Fingal) and with a special focus on Safe Routes to School

• Tackling properly the scourge of illegal car parking on footpaths and cycle facilities (and perhaps this could be done by Council wardens covering multiple responsibilities (traffic and dogs etc.?))

• Improving the quality of maintenance and cleaning of cycle tracks (including leaves in the autumn period)

• Urgent need for more and better bicycle parking at destinations - including Bike Bunkers, cycle parking that accommodates cargo bikes and temporary bike parking at special events (such as concerts etc.)

• That all Local Authority Climate Action Plans are sufficiently ambitious in regard to active travel targets and plans

Dublin Cycling Campaign will be in touch with all political parties over the coming weeks advocating on the points above - and on more local issues for candidates from particular Local Authority areas and wards.