Cyclists in Dublin to push bikes

By James Helm
BBC News, Dublin

Ministers want more Irish commuters to get on their bikes

Cycling enthusiasts from around the world have met in Dublin to discuss how to get more people to leave their cars at home and ride a bike.

Campaigners, officials and more than 500 delegates from 23 countries were joined by EU Transport Commissioner Jacques Barrot for the conference.

The backdrop is a challenging one. In many parts of Europe, car ownership is growing, while bicycle use is declining.

In Dublin around 25,000 people are thought to cycle to work each day. That is just 4% of the total number of commuters.

In Amsterdam, in the Netherlands, the figure is around 60%.

The Irish government says it is trying to promote cycling in its capital, which suffers traffic congestion. But critics believe it could do more.

Safety message

John Henry, head of the Dublin Transportation Office, which is hosting the conference, said:

Get them young and they'll keep on riding, say delegates

"If you don't intervene and don't do anything, you lose the cyclist, because other cities that have experienced exactly the same problem that Dublin has now have intervened to provide facilities for cyclists.

"So, what you have to create, I think, is a safe environment for cyclists to cycle in. The key message is safety."

Delegates stressed the importance of encouraging young people to use bikes as a way of getting around, to instil the habit.

The issue of safety plus government policy on cycling and road design have all been discussed. And delegates have found time to demonstrate pedal power, as more than 2,000 cyclists marked the gathering with a mass cycle ride through the centre of Dublin.