National Bike Week racing towards us this weekend

Published by Aoife Cusack on

June 7th, 2018

National Bike Week is racing towards us and will see hundreds of cycling related events take place across Ireland over the next ten days.

The week – which runs from 9-17 June – aims to bring bike enthusiasts together and to inspire people of all ages to hop on their bikes and raise the profile of cycling in the Irish community.

Activities taking place nationwide include free bike checks, fun cycles, lunchtime city rides, heritage cycles, electric bike races, school cycling events, bike festivals and road races.

The Dublin Cycling Campaign has published an updated schedule of events that will take place in Dublin on their website and are encouraging everyone to get involved.

Weekend events include a community Garden Cycle that will take place on Saturday 10 June consisting of two bike tours exploring the hidden gems that are Dublin’s community gardens. The tours will converge at Drimnagh Castle for a joint celebration and picnic.

Sunday 11 June will see a mass cycle event take place along the Liffey Quays, followed by a bike-themed movie night on Monday 11 June. Evening cycle tours of Phoenix Park will be taking place throughout the week.

Bike week in Dublin will culminate on Sunday June 17 with Bike Fest, a free annual family cycling festival.

Organised by Cycling Ireland, the festival will take place in St. Anne’s Park in Raheny. The aim is to provide a fun learning experience on the bike to children of all ages.

The chair of Cyclist.ie, Dr Mike McKillen, told The Green News that National Bike Week is designed to persuade families to get on their bikes to have some fun.

Cyclist.ie aims to make Irish roads safe for cyclists, with Dr McKillen expressing concerns that families may decide to drive to the events due to the danger posed to cyclists on Irish roads at present.

“This use of a car to get to a National Bike Week event will counter what it is supposed to be doing – decarbonising transport,” he said.

“If the main roads leading to the event location are cycling-hostile then no parent is going to permit their child cycle, even if accompanied by the parents.”

The National Cycling Policy Framework of 2009 sets Ireland a target to make ten per cent of all commuting trips to be made by bike by 2020.

However, Government spending on cycling infrastructure dropped from almost €19 million in 2015 to €7 million in 2017.

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Aoife Cusack

Aoife is a final year journalism and Irish student at DCU. She appreciates the environment, the Irish language and a good cup of coffee.