Council’s proposed ‘Be Sound’ campaign recognises the failures of our shared spaces – O’Connell

Dublin City Council’s campaign to create greater awareness between cyclists and pedestrians, while worthwhile, tacitly acknowledges the lack of foresight that’s been afforded to proper spatial planning for everyone, a Fine Gael TD has said.

Deputy Maeve O’Connell was speaking in response to reports that Dublin City Council is soon to extend its ‘Be Sound’ public campaign, which encouraged cyclists and pedestrians to look out for each other when using roads and pathways, to greenways.

Deputy O’Connell said: “Two months ago I called on the Minister for Transport to commence a review of the Design Manual for Urban Roads and Streets.

“This document sets out the primary guidelines for local authorities, and rarely gives any consideration  to people with visual impairments.

“In their earnestness to roll-out cycle lanes and shared spaces as fast and as widely as possible, local authorities created spaces that are not only impractical, but in places are just outright dangerous.

“It is ludicrous that in places around our city, older people and those with visual impairments have to step off buses directly onto cycle lanes.

“This campaign by Dublin City Council is the first time that local authorities have publicly recognised that shared spaces are not working as intended.

“Rather than telling road users to just ‘Be Sound’, Dublin City Council would be better served to take a hard look at their own work and how they have impacted some of our most vulnerable road users.”