Call For Bike Lockers At Train Station

Feckers

atest press release from Steven Matthews TD, issued two days ago, but, you know, this feckin’ town never sleeps…

Green TD Steven Matthews has called on the Department of Transport to establish a ring-fenced fund for the NTA and Irish Rail to provide secure bike lockers at commuter rail stations.

Highlighting the lack of bike-locking facilities at train stations in Wicklow, Deputy Matthews said:

“It is clear that we need to provide more bike lockers at commuter rail stations across Wicklow. I have been contacted by a number of bike and scooter users who would like to take public transport but are reluctant to due to the lack of secure bike-locking facilities.

“I have engaged with Irish Rail on this issue and while they are supportive of bike lockers being provided for passengers, they require additional central funding to put this into place.

“We cannot have a situation where people are forced to drive due to the lack of bike lockers in our commuter rail stations. I have contacted my Green Party colleague Minister Eamon Ryan calling for the provision of a ring-fenced fund for bike-locking facilities in train stations.

“I have been contacted by frustrated commuters on several occasions recently related to bike theft at various stations and I am consistently working with the Gardaí on this issue. I fully understand that Garda recourses are stretched so this should make up part of a forward-thinking solution.

“The Green Party has had a significant impact in reducing rail fares, but this is not the only factor in whether people choose to take public transport.

“We need to remove every barrier that keeps people in their cars for their commute and the provision of bike lockers is a relatively simple and cost-efficient way of opening public transport up as an option for more people,”concluded Deputy Matthews.