Gardaí back calls to stop taxis parking in Cork cycle lanes

Gardaí have backed calls to stop taxis parking in the cycle lane on Cork's Washington Street.

It came as part of the public consultation on new taxi bylaws in the city.

The draft bylaws, which will come before Cork City Council for approval in the coming weeks, propose the development of a time-restricted taxi rank on the nearby Hanover Place. It is believed that this could cater to the demand in the Washington Street area during peak night-life hours, removing the taxis from the bike lane on the street.

Cycling campaign groups and public representatives have criticised the lack of policing of the bike lane which is often occupied by taxi drivers, especially at night. It has led the Cork Cycling Campaign to call for Cork City Council to introduce a segregated cycle lane on the street.

Among the representations made during the public consultation was one from An Garda Síochána which called for the provision of a taxi rank on Washington Street "so that revellers can be brought away from the area late at night/early morning, thereby somewhat reducing the potential for public order incidents".

But gardaí also called for an end "to the practice of taxis stopping in the cycle lane on Washington Street during the peak nightlife hours" instead suggesting a time-shared lane or bay could be made on Washington Street.

City Hall noted that the creation of a taxi rank on the street could be "a health and safety risk". It said Hanover Place would be the best location for a new rank. The bylaws are due to come before councillors in early March for adoption.

Conn Donovan of the Cork Cycling Campaign welcomed the proposed designation of the taxi rank on Hanover Place.

"We have urged the Council to apply a practical solution for this area which would facilitate taxis using the area but ensure the safety of people cycling into and out of town on arguably the busiest cycle route in the city," he said.

"Once the taxi rank is operational on Hanover Place, it is imperative that taxis are directed towards it and are not enabled to continue to break the law by using the cycle lane. It's time this issue was finally put to bed."

Oliver Moran, Green Party councillor, said there is a demand for safe cycling infrastructure in the city centre. He added that taxis also play a role in transport in the city and that this new rank "is an opportunity to set the right balance" in serving both cyclists and taxis.

"If the bylaws are adopted, then I hope the Gardaí will enforce them properly," he added. "Enforcement and competition between taxi drivers will be the make-or-break of this solution. If one driver starts to flout the regulation and continues to park on Washington Street then that will start forcing the hand of others to do the same."