Cycling Ireland Welcome NTA Cycle Design Manual

Cycling Ireland welcomes the recent publication of the Cycle Design Manual (CDM) by the National Transport Authority (NTA) in conjunction with the Department of Transport.

The CDM draws on the experience of delivering cycling infrastructure across Ireland over the last decade, as well as learning from international best practice, and has been guided by the need to deliver safe cycle facilities for people of all ages and abilities.

The new manual places more emphasis on the range of cycles that cycle infrastructure will have to accommodate and the recommendations focus on segregating cyclists from traffic where speeds and volumes make roads unsuitable for sharing. There is also a general presumption towards segregating pedestrians and cyclists where possible.

Cycling Ireland acknowledge the manual's increased emphasis on providing high quality and segregated cycling infrastructure and hope that the manual will form a vital tool in the future development of cycle-friendly infrastructure for cyclists of all levels.

Paul Norton, Cycling Ireland Get Ireland Cycling Officer, said:

“Cycling Ireland welcome the news that a Cycling Design Manual has been published recently by the National Transport Authority, in conjunction with the Department of Transport. We especially welcome the emphasis on segregation from both motor vehicles and pedestrians. Cycling Ireland would like to commend the NTA for taking into account a varying range of cycles, ages and abilities and also drawing from best practice from other countries, when it comes to developing this manual."

"We hope that this manual will help planners and local authorities implement quality, segregated and connected cycling infrastructure that encourages more people to choose a bicycle over a motor vehicle, encourages those who already cycle to do so more frequently and further, and to provide an environment that encourages people of all ages and abilities to feel confident to cycle.”