Media Representation of Cycling in Ireland

Introduction

Outline of Talk

Officialdom and the Campaign The Media and Cycling Conclusions

Start at the Top !!

Start at the Top !!

Official Links....Advantages of a being a Small Country!

Department of Transport: Meeting with Minister Member of National Bikeweek Committee Consultee with Transport Agencies

Local Authorities Member of Cycling Forum Member of Strategic Policy Committee Strong liaison with L.A.s

General Communications Strategy

http://atrium.dublincycling.com/sites/default/files/sun_09_jan_2012_11point_font.pdf

Media Communications Dublin Cycling Campaign – 15 years in existence – name well known Formal Media Officer appointed via AGM Also Chairperson deals with Media Other members locally Re Print and Radio/TV media we mainly have a 'reaction' input. Difficult to get up-front unconnected positive stories into media

How about some +ve Media !?

The Irish Times - Monday, March 12, 2012

Commuters show a great Leap of faith

PAMELA DUNCAN

MORE Dublin commuters are leaving their cars at home and either getting on their bikes or opting for other forms of public transport.

Measurements by Dublin City Council indicate that the number of private cars coming into the city has declined by almost 12 per cent in the past decade.

The figures from the annual “cordon count”, which measures traffic in 33 locations on the Royal and Grand canals during the morning rush hour, show that, since 2006 when the tiger was still roaring, the volume of cars, goods vehicles, buses, motorcyclists and pedestrians all fell, while the number of cyclists rose by 42 per cent.

November 7, 2011 Monday

Idea to make north quays bicycle only

BYLINE: Ross McDonagh

DUBLIN City Council is considering banning cars from the northside quays in favour of atwo-way cycle track.

The council intends building continuous cycle lanes from Heuston Station to SamuelBeckett Bridge by 2017, and, according to a report in The Sunday Times, one of theproposals being looked at is shifting motor traffic onto the south quays.

Mike McKillen of Dublin Cycling Campaign said while the plan would certainly be betterfor cyclists, cycle tracks were not what they needed.

The News of the World (England)

December 23, 2007 Sunday

Bike for long life

CYCLISTS live longer than the rest of us -despite a jump in bicycle accidents.

David Maher of the Dublin Cycling Campaign said the risk of having a crash isoutweighed by health benefits of riding a bike.

And he insisted figures showing a rising number of collisions involving cyclists do notmean it is dangerous to pedal to work.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZzP8tFhOD-U

September 24, 2008 Wednesday

Bike zone was 'joke'

CAR Free Day has been blasted as a "meaningless joke" by a leading pedal powercampaigner.

More than 2,000 cities in 40 countries marked Monday's traffic-busting initiative by banningcars from their streets.

But Dr Mike McKillen, chairman of the Dublin Cycling Campaign, was left fuming that city

officials designated just one side of Merrion Square as a bike-only zone for the day.

He fumed: "Dublin does not sign up to Car Free Day because it isn't prepared to close thestreets in a meaningful way.

"It's a joke, it's tokenism, meaningless."

May 29, 2011 Sunday

The 10 junctions that risk lives; Cyclists call for changes as they identify the scariest roads in Dublin,writes Ciara Kenny

CYCLISTS in Dublin have listed the city's top 10 most dangerous junctions in a bid to forcethe council to improve conditions for bike-users. The list, compiled by Dublin CyclingCampaign (DCC), includes areas where cyclists are forced to cross three lanes of trafficto make a turn, and others where a cycle lane ends abruptly, leading into oncoming traffic.Just 3% of commuters travel to work by bike, but the government aims to increase this to10%.

"If we want to increase the number of cyclists, providing proper cycle lanes designed bybike users to make them feel safer is key," said Andrews. "The city infrastructure comparesvery badly with other European countries, because we have so many of these one-waymulti-lane streets."multi-lane streets."

The DCC is demanding the introduction of contra-flow bike lanes to help cyclists avoidmulti-lane junctions, and wants an awareness campaign to educate drivers on how tointeract with cyclists.

Then Then There's There's

the the BAD BAD

Side!!Side!!

Sunday Tribune (Ireland)

December 19, 2010

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Conclusions !?

Ideally any Campaign or organisation should have a Media/Communications Strategy

It is important to have a recognised and authorative spokesperson(s)

Media personnel must be contacted and relationships worked on

Most of the time we spend 'reacting' to media stories – we need to be out there researching and creating positive stories

Many 'Bad' stories can be turned into cycling 'Good' news