Alan Kelly TD, Minister for Commuter and Public Transport yesterday (December 17) launched the National Transport Authority’s new online Cycle Planner which people can use to easily map out different cycle routes to take them from A to B anywhere in the Dublin Region.
It covers an area from Malahide and Swords south to Bray, and as far west as Lucan and Clonee. It is now available online at: https://www.transportforireland.ie/walking-cycling/about-dublin-cycle-planner/ and in the Google Play Store as a free App for Android devices. The App is also available, free of charge, in Apple’s App store.
Cyclists will see immediately just how useful this new simple-to-use Cycle Planner is in helping them plan and structure their trips. People can plan their journey at home, exploring how many different places they can cycle and how long it will take. They can store the route in their smartphone and use it when they’re offline.
Minister Kelly said: “Cycling has taken off massively in Dublin and this App is another step towards creating a cycling-friendly culture. It will assist people of all cycling levels get to and from work, cycle for leisure, go for a bike ride with their kids or for any other reason people may wish to cycle.”
Gerry Murphy, Chief Executive of the National Transport Authority said: “Cycling is on the up and up and this new App planner will be really handy for cyclists of all levels of experience. If you have young children and want a quiet route it will guide you. If you are looking for your quickest way to work or college it will show you. And for those who use the great Dublin Bikes scheme it links into those locations and shows journey routes from the stand where you pick up your bike. Yes, we know that we need more and better cycling routes and each year we are investing significant capital sums in more off-road provision and better on-road arrangements. This planner fills a big gap with its clear display of options showing the level of traffic, the hilliness, banned right turns and, for those who are health conscious, the amount of calories burned. We hope this Planner will help those who wish to cycle a little more frequently and also will encourage people to try new routes, perhaps to in their leisure time.”
Using the new Cycle Planner, people can select different types of routes for their journey, depending on its purpose and the kind of cyclist they are, or who they’re with. For example, the “Easier” option will suit starter cyclists, or people cycling with their children; it avoids heavy traffic and difficult junctions where possible, and favours park routes or off-road / residential options where those are available.
The “Balanced” option also favours the easier routes, but will suggest cycling on roads with light to moderate traffic where this delivers a more direct route and a faster journey time.
And the “Direct” option returns the shortest route from A to B, using cycle tracks where these are available, but also incorporating cycling alongside heavy traffic if required.
For cyclists looking for inspiration for new and exciting routes, the Planner also has pre-set maps installed for some of the more popular Themed Leisure Routes in the region – including the Dodder River Cycle Way, the Dublin Bay Coastal Route and the Canal Cycle Ways.
Finally, the National Transport Authority is interested in public feedback to improve the Planner. A special feedback button is provided on the app. For such a large geographical area, the feedback of cyclists will be important in getting all the detail right over thousands of possible journeys.