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KERRY Cycling Campaign is calling on Kerry County Council and councillors to urgently ‘Change Our Streets’ by reallocating road space to people walking and cycling.
The Campaign says there is a need to reduce hazards to help people maintain social or physical distancing measures during the Covid-19 emergency.
The group has all already contacted Kerry County Councillors and the Chief Executive of Kerry County Council Moira Murrell.
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They say the outbreak of the COVID-19 virus has led to a huge increase in people cycling and walking and a growing number of countries around the world are temporarily reallocating road space from motor vehicles to people on foot and on bikes.
Keith Phelan, of the Kerry Cycling Campaign said: “We need to ensure our county is safe for people walking or cycling to shops or work, for people exercising with 2 km of their homes and especially people with prams or wheelchairs.
“Cities and towns all over the world are trialing changes to roads and streets, some of which may be useful after the pandemic. We can Change Our Streets in Kerry with low-cost quick-wins.”
Kerry Cycling Campaign has written to Kerry County Council and councillors to request the following changes:
• Cones to widen footpaths in town/village centres or outside shops/queue areas
• Temporary use of cones or bollards to create quietways to stop through traffic in housing estates and make roads for play/exercise
• Repurposing of full lanes to cycle lanes
• Temporary road pedestrianisation
• Signs indicating improved pedestrian priority at junctions, reducing risk of transmission via crossing buttons.
Anluan Dunne of the Kerry Cycling Campaign said: “We need to put in place emergency measures to help people safely travel by foot or by bike for essential errands, to travel to work or for exercise. More people than ever are walking and cycling during this coronavirus pandemic. To Change Our Streets is to make our streets safer now, and the future. We have contacted our public representatives and KCC Chief Executive Moira Murrell to ask them to act.”
Martina Callanan, board member of Cyclist.ie – the Irish Cycling Advocacy Network, said: “Given recent statements by Minister for Health, Simon Harris, we know that movement restrictions and social distancing measures will remain in place until a vaccine is developed. As such, it must be easy and tolerable for people to comply. If we Change Our Streets, the environment of our cities, towns and villages will help compliance to public health measures. As Dr Mike Ryan, Executive Director of the World Health Organization’s Health Emergencies Programme, says: “Move quickly; speed trumps perfection.”
Dublin City Council is implementing measures in Ranelagh, Rathmines, Stonybatter, Dorset St and Capel St by removing loading bays and parking spaces by placing orcas and bollards. It is time to see the same positive action taken in the towns and villages of Co Kerry.
