Statistics on cyclists in Dublin City Centre

Econoline Van

Hi all,

I was wondering if anyone knows of anywhere where I could get a rough estimate of the average number of cyclists in Dublin city?

I was watching Crimecall the other night (I was just flicking through, honest!) and there was a bit on bike theft. The Garda on said 4000 bikes were stolen in Dublin last year. I'd love to get some statistics on locations of thefts etc and how many people pass through the city every day by bicycle.

Thanks, if anyone can help.

boombang

I think there are stats compiled on the number of cyclists crossing the canals. Maybe the Dublin City Council cycle coordinator (if that role still exists) might have that data.

There always seem to be planning/engineering students at Trinity conducting travel mode surveys too, so they may have published some info.

Think the CSO gathers some data on how people travel to work. That could be useful too.

4k bike thefts pa is pretty crazy.

seamus

http://www.dublincity.ie/ROADSANDTRAFFIC/TRAFFIC/Pages/TrafficCordonCount.aspx

I have some small issues with the count; it doesn't take time of year or conditions into account (i.e. a really bad day will show fewer peds and cyclists and more cars, and there will be fewer walkers and cyclists in November than April), but it's still good enough to give rough estimates.

This is the number of cyclists coming into the city of course, it doesn't include the numbers moving around within the city.

It might be better to look at the results from the last census to get better figures for all of Dublin and not just the city centre.

Econoline Van

Thanks folks, that's a good start. There is still a bicycle officer on the council, as far as I know so I will email him/her also.

This is exactly the kind of thing I was looking for!:

Over the 10 year period 2002 to 2012 the volume of pedal cyclists crossing the canal cordon during the morning peak period increased by 68.5%. There was a 39.9% increase in the 5-year period from 2007 to 2012 and a 15.6% increase from 2011 to 2012.

beauf

http://www.dublincity.ie/PRESS/PRESSRELEASES/PRESSRELEASESFEBRUARY2013/Pages/Cyclingnumbersupascommuterstakevarietyoftransportoptions.aspx

Theres two counters in Dublin. One on the Canal the other on the N11.

I've seen figures mentioned of 400 cyclists go through a counter on average a day. I don't have exact figures. Over 100,000 a year. Something like that.

Kavrocks

I'd be interested in knowing these statistics too OP. If you find them I'd appreciate it.

Wishbone Ash

beauf wrote: »

.....Theres two counters in Dublin. One on the Canal the other on the N11.

I've seen figures mentioned of 100,000 cyclists go through each counter every work day. I don't have exact figures.

A few extra zero's there methinks!

beauf

Wishbone Ash wrote: »

A few extra zero's there methinks!

Lol corrected. Couldn't get accurate up to date figures

CramCycle

There 8 also a counter on the Clonskeagh/Ranelagh road near the rear of UCD. Peak of winter it barely goes over 300, over the summer I have seen it go over 8000 per 24 hours. Even then it misses a huge amount as anyone either overtaking or who merge right early for the turn into UCD are missed.

Alek

The Garda on said 4000 bikes were stolen in Dublin last year.

My heart stopped for a I-do-not-remember-locking-my-bike-today moment.

Only then I realized I ran to work today ;-)




I'll get my coat, erm, tracksuit.



... seriously, the number is mad.

Doctor Bob

beauf wrote: »

I've seen figures mentioned of 400 cyclists go through a counter on average a day. I don't have exact figures. Over 100,000 a year. Something like that.

CramCycle wrote: »

...Clonskeagh/Ranelagh road near the rear of UCD. Peak of winter it barely goes over 300, over the summer I have seen it go over 8000 per 24 hours.

8000? Or 800? The counters near Harold's Cross Bridge, which I pass through every day, usually register 1000+ cyclists per day (in each direction) - more in summer months than in winter, fewer on Fridays than other weekdays, more heading east than heading west - and I'd be very surprised if Clonskeagh were ~7 times higher than the canal, even in the summer peak.

OP: The NTA prepared a report on trends in mode share in the Canal Cordon Count 2006-2011, which is available here: http://www.nationaltransport.ie/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/Canal_Cordon_Counts_06_11_Final.pdf
It comes with all the same caveats mentioned by seamus above, and the content is fairly basic, but it's the only document I know of that collates the various data sources, including cycle counts.

The NTA also has other statistical publications - bulletins and reports - that fill out some areas not covered by the Canal Cordon report above- see the Census 2011 report (more comprehensive account of cycling to work and education) and the Household Survey report (non-work and non-education trips).

beauf

From my casual observations theres a lot more cyclists on all parts of my commute now. Makes the park that bit nicer in the dark.

tomasrojo

The Canal Cordon Count misses most dublinbike journeys, but maybe you can get detailed data for them. I assume there's a mountain of interesting trends buried in the dublinbike data, since you can see start, end and journey duration, plus with some careful interpretation you can probably figure out "desire lines", otherwise known as popular illegal short cuts.

eeeee

The one on the n11 before UCD misses me frequently, for whatever reason. I seen up over 600 in the good days during the summer, 32 this morning. It does miss cyclists so I am not too sure about accuracy.
There's another one before Booterstown Avenue on the Rock Road.

Everytime it counts me it makes me smile. No idea why, never fails. I get a bit sad when it misses me. How sad am I?

beauf

I was thinking the Dublin bike usage wouldn't that useful in relation to crime, bike theft etc though.

Seaswimmer

gadetra wrote: »

The one on the n11 before UCD misses me frequently, for whatever reason. I seen up over 600 in the good days during the summer, 32 this morning. It does miss cyclists so I am not too sure about accuracy.
There's another one before Booterstown Avenue on the Rock Road.

Everytime it counts me it makes me smile. No idea why, never fails. I get a bit sad when it misses me. How sad am I?

The Rock Road counter reached 199,000 for last year.

I always pass it at the same time. On a bad weather day I could be number 40 but on a good day up to 150.

CramCycle

Doctor Bob wrote: »

8000? Or 800? The counters near Harold's Cross Bridge, which I pass through every day, usually register 1000+ cyclists per day (in each direction) - more in summer months than in winter, fewer on Fridays than other weekdays, more heading east than heading west - and I'd be very surprised if Clonskeagh were ~7 times higher than the canal, even in the summer peak.

It has been awhile since I looked at it but considering my winter time no. is off by a factor of 10 (I have seen it drop to 27), I could be mistaken. That said if it is only reading 800 during the early summer when students are still there, then it is seriously off. I'd estimate that I pass by 10 cyclists coming from the Bird avenue direction over a few seconds heading to Ranelagh every morning in only over a 20metre stretch beside the counter. On the basis that I would not even be passing at peak time for student commuters, the numbers, don't make sense to me

tomasrojo

beauf wrote: »

I was thinking the Dublin bike usage wouldn't that useful in relation to crime, bike theft etc though.

True!

Doctor Bob

gadetra wrote: »

The one on the n11 before UCD misses me frequently, for whatever reason. I seen up over 600 in the good days during the summer, 32 this morning. It does miss cyclists so I am not too sure about accuracy.
There's another one before Booterstown Avenue on the Rock Road.

CramCycle wrote: »

It has been awhile since I looked at it but considering my winter time no. is off by a factor of 10 (I have seen it drop to 27), I could be mistaken. That said if it is only reading 800 during the early summer when students are still there, then it is seriously off. I'd estimate that I pass by 10 cyclists coming from the Bird avenue direction over a few seconds heading to Ranelagh every morning in only over a 20metre stretch beside the counter. On the basis that I would not even be passing at peak time for student commuters, the numbers, don't make sense to me

Recent press release from DLRCC on cycling stats in the county:

20% increase in cyclists in Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown



18/02/2014




Dún Laoghaire– Rathdown County Council is delighted to announce that overall cycling numbers in the County have increased by almost 20% in 2013.

A recent report titled ‘Cycle Counter Statistics 2012 – 2013’, which contains information obtained from electronic cycle counters throughout the County, shows an increase of 18% in cyclists on 3 key routes going into the city and an increase of 21% in cyclists outbound from the city. It also shows that Clonskeagh Road has the highest number of cyclists with a daily average of 781 cyclists heading into the city along the route while over 400 cyclists use theRock Roadand N11 cycle routes daily.
Speaking about the report Cllr Gerry Horkan, the Council Cycle Champion, said: ‘I welcome the increase in the number of people cycling around the County especially on Clonskeagh Road near UCD. Overall, the increase in the number of people cycling highlights the great work being done by the Council staff in improving cycle facilities throughout the County’.
Cycling Officer Gerry Flaherty also added, ‘The Council’s long term aim is to promote cycling as a healthy fun travel option for short trips and we believe that the figures released today demonstrate that we are making good progress in this regard.’
The range of cycling initiatives that the Transportation Department of the Council are involved include the provision of cycle training in schools; the preparation of cycling leaflets (such as the Sandyford Cycle Route, The Slang River Greenway, the Metals Cycle Route, the Loughlinstown Cycle Route and the Blackrock Cycle Route) that show cycle friendly routes; the preparation of a County Wide Cycle Map that will help cyclists plan their routes when cycling in the County; improved cycle routes such as that proposed to link the Dart Line and the Green Luas line via UCD and the provision of increased bicycle parking spaces (there are now approximately 1,100 cycle parking spaces available to cyclists in Dun Laoghaire Rathdown).

The Cycle Counter Statistics report 2012-2013 can be viewed at http://www.dlrcoco.ie/media/media,10326,en.pdf

I've also been told that there have been some technical problems with the counters in the last while, but the Council is currently working to resolve them.

CramCycle

Doctor Bob wrote: »

I've also been told that there have been some technical problems with the counters in the last while, but the Council is currently working to resolve them.

They had tried to get manual counters out, and then see was there a reasonably approximate percentage being missed when they first went up but I never heard more about that and based on that piece they obviously never took it into consideration.

Speaking about the report Cllr Gerry Horkan, the Council Cycle Champion, said: ‘I welcome the increase in the number of people cycling around the County especially on Clonskeagh Road near UCD. Overall, the increase in the number of people cycling highlights the great work being done by the Council staff in improving cycle facilities throughout the County’.

Oddly enough a path that has had some improvements as it is on road and when the road was done up, so was the path but there are a few holes and grooves that have taken people off their bikes just past the UCD Clonskeagh entrance. I am quite surprised that the council has not either fixed them for fear of being sued as most of the damage is due to the council workers not finishing off work they started.

Econoline Van

I was researching these figures as I was trying to judge the viability of a facility like this (obviously on a much smaller scale) in Dublin City. When 4000 bikes are reported stolen in a year I think a city needs more than the bottom of Drury Street Car Park (which was also hit anyway). With the amount of empty council owned buildings around I figured they might even fund it....

http://www.treehugger.com/bikes/ascobike-the-largest-bicycle-parking-in-the-americas.html

What think ye? Feel free to destroy the idea mercilessly.

Econoline Van

Anyone?

monument

Econoline Van wrote: »

Anyone?

There was a recent thread covering the issue -- somebody was looking at setting one up around the Dublin city centre's northside shopping streets.

Dublin City Council are also looking at parking solutions including using / converting lanes around the south city centre -- no detail as of yet.

tomasrojo

tomasrojo wrote: »

I assume there's a mountain of interesting trends buried in the dublinbike data, since you can see start, end and journey duration, plus with some careful interpretation you can probably figure out "desire lines", otherwise known as popular illegal short cuts.

Apologies for resurrection, but thought of this notion of doing something with the dublinbike data (were it public; perhaps it is) when I saw this article:

https://www.theguardian.com/cities/2016/aug/09/bike-share-mapping-gps-data-interactive-london-nyc-berlin-cf-city-flows

Interesting that the animation shows up "blockages" in cycle traffic flow, such as an effective barrier between Middle Manhattan and Central Park.

Really nice stuff. Berlin looks anaemic compared to New York and London, but that's explained in the text.

Chuchote

This 2014 article talks about almost 5,000 a year:

http://www.thejournal.ie/bikes-stolen-in-dublin-2396626-Oct2015/

2015 they're up to 6,750

http://www.sundayworld.com/news/bike-thefts-have-increased-by-227-at-a-cost-of-millions

Two Thirds of bikes are stolen from public places; the most likely time is weekday afternoons; one third are stolen from residential locations, houses, sheds, gardens etc; the most likely time for them to be stolen is overnight.

Is there a map of theft black spots? And are there cameras on these black spots? And are there cameras routinely on bike racks? Someone in a Dublin flat complex (expensive bikes, nice flats) told me that there are no cameras on the bike racks there, though there are cameras almost everywhere else in the place.