Dublin Port Company (DPC) is pleased to unveil a set of bicycle racks that have been recently installed at the Great South Wall to support the growing number of people who are accessing the popular location by bike.
This new facility – ideally located at the start of the Great South Wall – will allow up to 12 bikes to be securely parked before visitors begin their walk towards Poolbeg Lighthouse, one of the most distinctive landmarks in Dublin.
Over 300,000 people walk the Great South Wall annually and many of these, including a growing number of tourists and locals, as well as swimmers at the Half Moon, are travelling there on two wheels ahead of their journey on foot.
At nearly 5km long, the Great South Wall was the longest seawall in the world when it was completed in 1731. Though that title has since been taken by a seawall in South Korea, the Great South Wall remains one of the longest in Europe.
These bicycle racks are the latest example of DPC working towards a more cycle-friendly port. In October, DPC received its final grant of planning permission to begin work on the Liffey-Tolka cycle lane. This project will create a new 1.4 km dedicated pedestrian and cycle route that will link the River Liffey with the Tolka Estuary through DPC lands.
Eamon McElroy, Port Engineer at Dublin Port Company, said: “We are pleased to announce the installation of this brand-new set of bicycle racks at the Great South Wall. Dublin Port Company is committed to becoming a more cycle-friendly port and with projects such as our ambitious Liffey-Tolka cycle lane, we are well on the way towards our port-city integration. We get over 300,000 visitors to the Great South Wall annually and we hope that these new bicycle racks will attract even more walkers. DPC would like to thank Dublin Cycling Campaign for their input and advice on this project.”
David Timoney, Dublin Cycling Campaign, explained: “Good bicycle parking may be what persuades people to travel by bicycle rather than jumping in the car. We know that fear of bike theft is a deterrent to more people cycling. We also know that good bike parking plus a high-quality lock stops most bike theft. The installation of these bike racks at the start of the Great South Wall, where there is a high degree of natural surveillance, is exactly what is needed to encourage more people to cycle instead of taking the car.”
Sabrina Moore, Half Moon ‘Mad Yokes’ Swimming Group, added: “We have over 50 regular sea swimmers at Half Moon, many of whom cycle, but up until now we have struggled to find somewhere to lock our bikes at the start of the walk. These bike racks are perfect for us and will encourage those who do drive to leave the car at home, which has the dual benefit of being the healthier choice and helping to reduce our carbon emissions.”
