Cyclist Death Highlights the Need for Daytime Truck Ban

16 January 2006

by Cllr Joe Costello

The death of a young cyclist who was struck by a truck at the junction of North King Street and Blackhall Place on Saturday highlights the need for HGVs movement to be severely restricted in the area, Labour TD Joe Costello has said. “That junction can be very confusing,” said Costello. “There’s just one set of lights for the five roads that converge there.” “It’s a very dangerous intersection. There’s an urgent need for a traffic management plan for that area. Dublin City Council must come up with proposals to eliminate the danger and part of that solution must be to stop trucks using the junction between 7am and 7pm. We can’t wait for the Port Tunnel to open, for them to do this.” “This is yet another tragic death on our roads. Drink is not the only factor in our unacceptably high road-deaths figure. Traffic management is also a factor.” People should be encouraged to cycle he said. “We can’t send out the message that cycling is dangerous. From the point of view of health, congestion and the environment, we have to make sure that cycling is safe for everybody.” Deputy Costello extended his sympathies to the family of the dead woman.