Fórsa has written to transport minister Shane Ross, and to the National Transport Authority (NTA), to express its support for the Greater Dublin Area Cycle Network Plan.

Commissioned by the NTA and launched in 2013, the plan aims to provide an urban, inter-urban and green route network, for each of the seven local authorities in the Greater Dublin Area (GDA). This includes Meath, Kildare and Wicklow.

Fórsa national secretary Billy Hannigan wrote to Ross to “lend the collective voice of the union’s 80,000 members” to the support of the Greater Dublin Area Cycle Network Plan. He urged the minister to ensure plans for protected cycle lanes are delivered without delay.

“Like many organisations in Dublin, a growing number of our 120 employees cycle to work. In addition many of our members commute to work by bicycle. Indeed, for many of our members they have no choice as they are working at times when public transport simply is not available.

“We are satisfied that many more of our members would cycle to their workplaces if they felt comfortable and safe on the roads.

“We value their safety and we want to promote active lifestyles for all our employees and members. Kerb protected cycle lanes throughout Dublin will help to make our members who cycle safer on the roads. They will also make Dublin a more attractive city in which to live and work,” he said.

Fórsa’s support for the plan has been welcomed by CyclingWorks Dublin, a group of organisations calling for segregated cycling infrastructure for employees, customers and students to travel safely throughout Dublin.

Campaign co-founder Stephen McManus said the union’s support for the campaign was significant. “We are now approaching 200,000 workers and students being represented in the call for government to invest in cycling infrastructure to afford people a safer commute to work and education,” he said.