#Allocate4Cycling: ask your TD to support proper funding for cycling!

It might surprise you to know that, despite a Government target of 10% of trips by bike by 2020, the funding for cycling has actually decreased in the last few years, while the number of people cycling is up and up. Cycling currently only gets approximately 2% of road transport funding. That is why we, together with our colleagues in the Cyclist.ie network, recently made a pre-budget submission calling for a minimum of 10% of the road transport budget to be allocated to cycling. We included 10 compelling reasons for investing in cycling and outlined our priorities for how the funding should be allocated, with cycling infrastructure being top of the list.

This pre-budget submission is intended not just to influence Budget 2019 but also to launch a sustained lobbying campaign with the intention of making #Allocate4Cycling an issue in the next General Election. To this end we need the support of TD's across the political spectrum to ensure better funding for cycling. And this is where you come in! The best way for voluntary organisations to influence political decision-making is via direct contact with our TD's. We are asking you, if at all possible, to call in to the clinics of your TD's (of all parties) and ask them to support our pre-budget submission. A handy summary of the pre-budget submission to print and leave with the TD's is available here. If you don't have time to meet your TD’s in person, the next best option is to phone him/her and if you can’t manage that then email them to ask for their support.

The contact details for the TD's are here. Do raise your own cycling related issues too, whether that's an injury, close pass, poor infrastructure, whatever. Remember personal stories are very powerful, think about the impact Orla Tinsley or Vicky Phelan have had in the political sphere.

We will be having an official launch of the campaign at 11.15am on 20th September in Buswell’s Hotel on Molesworth Street. Ask your TDs to come along and show their support for you, their constituent, who wants to cycle safely from A to B.

We plan to track all positive and negative TD responses to #Allocate4Cycling so do email us to let us know what your TD's response was info@dublincycling.ie