THERE is no reason why Galway cannot have up to one-fifth of its daily commuters using bicycles, according to the Galway Cycling Campaign.

The city already had the highest commuting by bicycle rate in the country and could easily greatly improve on this if the principles of a new national policy document were applied here, said a spokesman.

“Galway is already Ireland’s ‘Cycling City’,” said campaign chair Shane Foran. “Between 2002 and 2006, national census figures show that cycling by Galway commuters grew by 51% while cycling by Galway third level students grew by 38%. Galway already has the highest commuter cycling rate in the country at 4.4% and is the last city in Ireland where more secondary schoolgirls use bicycles than use cars.”

The group point out that in Galway, 44% of workers, 70% of college students and 56% of secondary students live within a 25 minute cycle of their place of employment or education.

And The Galway Cycling Campaign, welcoming the ...