Parking and traffic in Phoenix Park

There was a limit but with obvious problems.

No it wasn't - as late as the 1980s it was a wide single carriageway with no marked hard shoulders at all. The driving lanes were therefore very wide indeed, though parked cars meant an actual lane width along the lines of what we see today.

Interesting and cool data.

It's down hill towards town. I know on a good day I can spin out in top gear on my slick shod MTB commuter. Never uphill towards Castleknock.

I note the guy who recorded speeds in that article on the cycle site is using some sort of rear light with a radar? Sensor in it. I meant to research it, but didn't have time..

That's it.

Someone recorded data of drivers not sticking to the new limit. Which is counter to people's anecdotal stories here. Not that it matters. It's just interesting from a stats pov..

Seems some feel that cycling should be slower than driving, and that speed limits should be adjusted to maintain that.

There has been an attempt to demonise commuters, and the argument put forward is that the park facilities should be weighted in favour of those coming for recreational purposes.

I'd wager that a significant proportion of cyclists in the park are taking a shortcut on their commute.

I think there's a case to made that someone at high speed on a bike may not be entirely appropriate in a park filled with pedestrians and kids, and tourists.

That said thats covered by dangerous cycling, and cycling without due care etc. Also we don't have stats if its a significant issue, other than isolated cases.

Same issue with shared spaces, and is covered the same way.

There is no law about going over the speed limit on a bicycle.

eScooters are illegal.

eBikes are only legal if the assisted power cuts off above 25k. You can manually cycle or freewheel above those speeds. (down a hill for example).

If you are going to use the phrase "clearly dangerous" you should have stats to prove your point.

Janey, so those would potentially have been illegal vehicles commuting in the park? That's even worse.

In terms of clearly dangerous, I'm going by the logic that 30km has been deemed to be the maximum speed which is safe. If there's people going above that it must be dangerous. In terms of stats while I'm sorry that this has to be regularly mentioned, I not aware of a fatality involving a motorist, but there unfortunately has been one involving a cyclist in the recent past. It would appear that cyclists, and the bikes which they use, are capable of higher speeds now.

But sure there's no laws about anyone needing to stick to 30km in the park, is there?

And sure, if there is going to be speed limits introduced as a safety measure, shouldn't there be stats for that too?

While it'd be amazing to have new roads under, over or around the park to make your suggestion viable, I don't think that's a realistic option - not in the short term anyway.

Rather than removing facilities (which seems to be the OPW playbook) I think they should create designated zones for the different users of the the park to make it more inclusive.

I think it would be amazing to have a proper trail for recreational cyclists, and a space for kids learning to cycle safely. Let the commuters have Chesterfield Avenue and one or two others like North Road, Furze Road and Acres Road.

But lobbing in cycle paths next to a road built for cars is just lazy and bad planning.