To encourage a modal
shift to cycling, the Irish Government has introduced a range of measures
including the establishment of a 2,000 km National Cycle Network (NCN). The NCN
will connect all large urban areas in Ireland by opening up extensive rural
routes. Given Ireland’s disperse population, a robust route selection process
will be paramount to maximise the benefits of the NCN. The identification of factors
affecting the route selection process is vital. Such factors are anything of an
engineering, environmental, economic or legislative nature that could affect
the development of a cycling scheme.
The National Roads
Authority (Ireland’s highway development agency) Project Management Guidelines consider
three categories of ‘constraints’; (i) natural (water bodies, protected areas
etc.) (ii) artificial (man-made; settlements, roads etc.), and (iii) external
parameters (cost, policy etc.). However, significant amendments to this
methodology are required for the route selection of national cycle routes, for
example, most factors affecting the development of a road scheme are considered
inhibitive, hence the use of the term ‘constraints’. Many negative factors for a
road scheme may facilitate a cycling scheme, e.g. towns, parks and railways,
and vice versa.
This paper presents
the identification and classification of factors affecting the route selection
of cycling routes based on a 140 km corridor of the NCN which is currently at
initial planning stages. The corridor includes numerous potential Route
Facilitators (natural or artificial factors directly facilitating possible
cycle routes), including a disused railway, extensive bogland and a downgraded
road. The corridor passes through rural regions and features points of interest
including villages, tourist attractions and scenic areas. This case study
demonstrates the importance of the identification and classification of these
factors for cycling routes. The study and associated guidelines can be used for
the other corridors in the NCN, and indeed in new schemes internationally; thus
enabling better cycle network design.