This week the National Bus and Railworkers’ Union called for an increase of high visibility clothing use for cyclists and e-scooter users.

The NBRU want hi-vis clothing to be made ‘mandatory’ for cyclists and e-scooter users in a preventative effort against road safety concerns.

The initiative is set to reduce the risks for both drivers and riders. However, given that high vis clothing is already supposed to be worn at night time, the debate presented the argument that issue may lie in enforcement. 

Jason Cullen, of the Dublin Commuter Coalition joined the Hard Shoulder’s Ciara Kelly to discuss on Friday. 

“What we’re talking about is trying to add in extra precautions to a group of people who are already non-compliant and using an illegal vehicle,” Mr Cullen said. 

“The knock-on effect to users who are complying to the rules is putting more barriers in their way to cycle,” he added. 

Ciara Kelly said that adding in more regulations on cycling wear would keep the entire group of regular cyclists safe to which Jason Cullen replied saying that an almost immediate reduction in cycling numbers will occur. 

“Users for whatever reason won’t have or wear helmets or have access to high-vis," he said. 

“More and more concerning is that all bike schemes end when you bring in something like this. Your Dublin Bikes, your Bleepers, your Mobys, and all the rest you’d find around the country. Those are tens of thousands of cycling journeys a day that will end overnight. 

“That’ll either push on the already over-congested buses or back into the private car to make the driver's journeys even more frustrating than they already are.”

Tourists with bicycles enjoying a day out.

Ciara Kelly said it was unlikely the Dublin bike scene would change as much as he thought: “People could bring a high-vis in a bag as they’re very small and those changes to the bike scene would not impact things like e-scooters that, in my experience, move faster than bikes.”

Mr Cullen, of the Dublin Commuter Coalition, told Ciara Kelly that manpower needed to be invested and An Garda Siochana needed to improve its enforcement. 

“They need to be resourced properly, they need to get out there, get these e-scooters off the road,” he told the Hard Shoulder. 

“We ask people to light up, be safe, be seen. That is the kind of education people would get in schools as young as four or five years of safety. It’s within our cultural experience to do that. 

“While we’re waiting for An Garda Siochana resources to catch up to make our roads safer for road users, safe road speeds need to be introduced. They can be introduced overnight by the Minister for Road Safety which would dramatically increase the safety for all road users.”