Maynooth Cycling Campaign, on behalf of Cyclist.ie (the Irish Cycling Advocacy Network), contacted candidates running for election to Kildare County Council and sought their commitment to high quality cycle facilities through support for Cycling for All.  Maynooth candidates were asked a further local question – to support high quality cycling facilities to two primary schools on the Celbridge Road serving some 700 pupils.

Well the election is now imminent – so what is the position on cycling of candidates? One canvasser said in response to a query “Isn’t everyone in favour of cycling?” Well actually no.  All or practically all are in favour of cycling but support ranges from strong to very soft.

The candidates who pledged support for high quality cycle facilities by endorsing Cycling for All are listed in Table 1 below. We wish them all well in the election and hope that you, the voter, will remember them in the polling booth.

In the report entitled International Cycling Infrastructure Best Practice Study on behalf of Transport for London, consultants identified a number of characteristics of locations where cycling was either strong or where there was strong commitment to increasing the level of cycling. The first characteristic was

There is strong, clear political and technical pro-cycling leadership which is supported through all parts of the lead organisation.

Strong clear political leadership is generally lacking in Ireland but support for Cycling for All shows that that is now changing. More than 120 candidates  have signed up which includes representatives from Fine Gael, Fianna Fáil, Sinn Fein, Labour, Green Party, Social Democrats and People Before Profit as well as Independents.