Tom gives 'Shortt' shrift to lack of traffic wardens on new Limerick cycle lane

FORMER Labour councillor Tom Shortt believes school traffic wardens to be appointed to aid the passage of cyclists over the Shannon Bridge.

Following the news that the lane is to be retained, Mr Shortt fears of traffic issues with thousands of local children heading back to school this week.

However, rather than keeping the bike lane, Mr Shortt believes this issue could be alleviated by appointing officials to manage the flow.

“How far will cars be backed up on the Condell, North Circular, Shelbourne Roads and O’Callaghan Strand, this winter, with traffic restricted on the bridge from two lanes to one? Would a better solution have been the introduction of a specially tailored system of school traffic wardens to facilitate the safe passage of children, cycling to school over the bridge, while also maintaining a constant flow of traffic,” he asked.

Mr Shortt, a councillor between 2009 and 2014 has written to council chief executive Dr Pat Daly on this matter.

He said current councillors who have supported the temporary bike lane do not live on the northside.

“As a result they simply do not appreciate the transport challenges of people who must cross the raging Shannon every day to get to work, education and the vital services that southsiders take for granted. Getting back to school was never as stressful and the council has picked this most challenging of times to make it even more difficult for northside families,” the Thomondgate man said.

“Councillors and council officials bought into this group think and have now robbed motorists of a lane on Shannon Bridge to appease cyclists,” he said.

“We were making great progress, at providing cycle lanes in the city, but it is not a lifestyle choice of the vast majority of parents to insist that their children of primary school going age should cycle to school on dark winter mornings while the family car remains in the driveway. The mere thought gives most parents an attack of the heebie-jeebies.”

Mr Shortt’s comments put him at odds with his Labour party colleague Anne Cronin, who ran in the north ward last summer.

A fierce advocate of cycling, she has set up a ‘cycle-bus’ to ensure safe passage of kids on bikes to their school.

She told the Limerick Leader she “strongly objects” to his comments.

"I respect Tom and have a huge amount of time for him and his contribution as a former councillor, and chair of the Labour party in the city, but I do not agree with him in this instance,” she said.