KILDARE: Footrests for cyclists should be provided at road junctions

Cycle footrests should be provided at junctions where traffic lights are in place.

Green Party councillor Colm Kenny said that these would make cycling more convenient.

“Car drivers are not expected to dismount at traffic lights,” he told a Kildare County council meeting.

Footrests allow riders to balance themselves without having to get off the bicycle.

Specifically, Cllr Kenny wants KCC to trial multifunctional pedestrian barriers, which also act as cycling footrests at “traffic signal controlled busy intersections which have high frequency bike traffic” such as near schools or at Maynooth University.

Kildare County Council says it is prioritising the implementation of a network of segregated active travel corridors in the county, subject to funding being made available from the National Transport Authority. 

According to KCC official Celina Barrett the aim is to separate cyclists from general traffic where possible and the section is concentrating on the design of these infrastructure projects.

She also said that cycle footrests are being trialled in the greater Dublin Area and KCC will “await the findings and learnings from these pilots before developing a countywide policy.”

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