Charity anger over bar on Belfast cyclists

22 October 2009

Sustrans has hit out at plans to severely restrict cycling on two major Belfast streets.

The proposal, part of the Department of Social Development’s ‘Streets ahead’ programme, would exclude cyclists in one direction on Donegall Place and Queens Street.

Steven Patterson, Sustrans director for Northern Ireland, said: ‘This will make cycle journeys longer and put people off using their bikes to get into the city.

‘The city’s transport plan states that every opportunity will be taken to make Belfast as cycle-friendly as possible, and cycle use has risen every year over the last eight years, so it is nothing short of perverse to suggest restricting accessibility for cyclists.’

He said many of the improvements being made in the Streets ahead programme were welcomed, but ‘this proposal is a regressive move’.

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