Covid-19: Change Our Streets Campaign

Posted on By Kerry on cycling

Kerry Cycling Campaign calls on Kerry County Council and councillors to urgently ‘Change Our Streets’ by reallocating road space to people walking and cycling. We need to reduce hazards to help people maintain social or physical distancing measures during the Covid-19 emergency.

Communication has been made to all Kerry County Councillors and the Chief Executive of Kerry County Council Moira Murrell.

The outbreak of the COVID-19 virus has led to a huge increase in people cycling and walking. A growing number of countries around the world are temporarily reallocating road space from motor vehicles to people on foot and on bikes. Both to keep essential workers moving and to enable residents in lockdown to stay healthy and active while socially distancing.

“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.”

Keith Phelan, Kerry Cycling Campaign

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.

“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”

Anluan Dunne, Kerry Cycling Campaign

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.

Martina Callanan, board member of Cyclist.ie – the Irish Cycling Advocacy Network

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.

Kerry Cycling Campaign call for motorists to slow down

Posted on By Kerry on cycling

Kerry Cycling Campaign have called for motorists to slow down and take more care following a horrific month of road deaths and injuries. With so many people out walking and cycling within 2 kilometers of their homes motorists are asked to slow down and be careful. The dramatic reduction in traffic volumes has resulted in some drivers increasing their speed – particularly in urban areas.

Anluan Dunne speaking of the Kerry Cycling Campaign said “Quite simply drivers need to slow down. We are calling on the Gardaí to step up enforcement across the county – especially in urban areas. More people are out walking and cycling and due to physical distancing they may have to step onto the road to avoid each other”


The Road Safety Authority and Gardaí are aware of the issue. Nationally the picture is grim with road deaths up 24% on last year.

Anluan continued “with no other cars to slow drivers down, and with the way our roads are designed, people feel like they have the space to speed up and take more risks. This behaviour is literally killing people. All the preparation and actions to help to flatten the Covid-19 curve is of little use if people don’t take care of each other out on the roads. Speeding drivers are putting people walking and cycling at risk of being patients in our emergency departments. ”

The call has been echoed by Professor John Crown of St Vincent’s Hospital Dublin who has called for speed limits to be lowered during the COVID-19 emergency. Nationally, the Love30 campaign is asking for 50 kmh limits to be reduced to 30 kmh in urban areas.

Globally, road crashes are the leading cause of death among young people aged 15-29, and the second leading cause of death worldwide among young people aged 5-14.

Anluan Dunne of the Kerry Cycling Campaign joined Deirdre Walsh on Radio Kerry’s Talkabout show to discuss the issues.