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news
Howth Presbyterian Church cycle lane (Photograph: Alan Betson)Enforcing cycle lane would prevent drivers from parking (illegally) outside Presbyterian church, claims Dublin elder
A Presbyterian church in Dublin has criticised plans to segregate an existing cycle lane from traffic, which it says will prevent worshippers from continuing to park – illegally – outside the church.
Parking is currently prohibited on the street in front of Howth Presbyterian Church due to the presence of a non-segregated bike lane which runs from Sutton to Howth, two Dublin suburbs. Fingal County Council plans to install bollards along this route as part of a £3.2 million programme aimed at “developing safer infrastructure for cyclists and pedestrians in towns and villages across the County”.
However, the plans have come under fire from the local church. Elder Michael Sparksman told the Irish Times that the proposed bollards would mean that “the right to worship is being overtaken by the right to cycle.”
“The council suggested people walk, cycle or take public transport but that is really not viable given our age profile and the distances people come from,” Sparksman said.
The church elder admitted that parking on the current cycle lane outside the church is “not strictly” permitted, but said that a “common sense” approach has ensured that no churchgoers have been ticketed for parking illegally during services.
Sparksman also noted that one of the council’s suggestions is that parishioners could park in Howth village and walk to the church, which itself has on-site parking. “That would take 15-20 minutes and what are they to do in the rain? It is an attitude that beggars belief and borders on arrogance.”
“We have a constitutional right to worship. People have been going to worship in this church for 121 years. For the council to decide we can’t do that because we can’t access the place is plain wrong.”
In 2017 Tonya McEvoy, a childcare worker from Co. Dublin, was killed during an Orwell Wheelers club ride after a motorist crossed over a continuous white line to avoid cars parked illegally by people attending a nearby church.
Meanwhile, a vicar in Henley, Oxfordshire, has criticised the proposed introduction of a cycle route on the pathway between Church Street and Hamilton Avenue. Rev Duncan Carter of Holy Trinity Church claimed that the new route would endanger children who use the current path to walk to school.
However, the proposals were praised by town councillor Laurence Plant, who argued that the new route would encourage cyclists who lacked confidence on the road or young families to ride their bikes safely.
“Henley is quite difficult to navigate not using the main arterial routes”, he said. “This is a good attempt to make Henley safer and easier to navigate.”
Ryan joined road.cc as a news writer in December 2021. He has written about cycling and some ball-centric sports for various websites, newspapers, magazines and radio. Before returning to writing about cycling full-time, he completed a PhD in History and published a book and numerous academic articles on religion and politics in Victorian Britain and Ireland (though he remained committed to boring his university colleagues and students with endless cycling trivia). He can be found riding his bike very slowly through the Dromara Hills of Co. Down.
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46 comments
Silly me, thinking roads were for transport - instead of car storage...
So if they are not allowed to walk to chruch.....how did they get there 120 years ago?
https://www.irishtimes.com/life-and-style/motors/pastimperfect-1.393382
I think this line sums it up:
RJ Mecredy founded Motor News, Ireland's first motoring magazine and Europe's fifth, in Dublin in 1900 - there were only about 50 cars on Irish roads at that time.
Everyone lived in walking distance or used a horse and cart.
Except for the proto-motorists, who lived in walking distance and used a horse and cart. Each.
And wrote letters to the parish council about the proliferation of reckless knickerbocker-clad dandy horse riders.
Simple fix - drive-in church. "In my Father's house are many garages..."
No-one comes to the Father except through the ANPR.
Jesus Chrysler! That's literally the mark of the beast!
No, I was thinking more of this kind of Ministry...
I don't see the problem. Why can't they just abandon their cars in the middle of the road in a "not strictly permitted" manner instead of the cycle lane? It'll then be safe for their parishioners who use mobility scooters.
Wanna know why? I'll tell you what it's all about. Punk Rockers!
Is ska ok?
If I did genuinely believe in some form of cosmic teapot and that he/she/it wanted me to worship him/her/it, and that this would bring me a rather large bonus in the afterlife, I don't think a fifteen minute walk - even in the rain - would put me off. I believe that Jesus says, "Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God," he didn't add "unless there be no convenient parking or it raineth."
I cycle this road regularly, both on Sundays and other days, and it's only an issue on Sunday mornings, with generally no vehicles parked at other times. However, that means that when there is a parking issue, there are also a lot more cyclists (nearby Howth Hill is a popular Sunday climb), and I have had issues with parked vehicles blocking the footpath/road/painted bike lane on a number of occasions (having to take the primary position because of oncoming traffic, then getting abuse from moron drivers coming up behind, etc). There is space in the grounds of the church and Minister's house next door, and there are usually fewer than ten cars outside, so I can't believe that more space-efficient parking there and/or car-pooling from the village, about 1km away, couldn't solve the issue.
“We have a constitutional right to worship. People have been going to worship in this church for 121 years. For the council to decide we can’t do that because we can’t access the place is plain wrong.”
pretty sure the congregaton didn't all turn up in cars 120 years ago.
Maybe they all used some old Wolseleys?
The Rev. Carter states he supports cycle lanes but not in this case, how predictable. While we are concerned with Henley lets not forget this tragic event: https://road.cc/content/news/95681-pharmaceutical-consultant-who-killed-...
Was that the killer Dr Helen Measures?
Are you are talking about Helen Measures, the driver that killed a 21 year old woman with her life in front of her, through sheer incompetence, negligence, selfishness, entitlement and arrogance? That Helen Measures? the Helen Measures who practically got away scot-free with murder?
Just to make sure we're talking about the correct Helen Measures, the Helen Measures with the brass neck to stand up in court and blame the victim?
Nurse, bring his tablets, someone has mentioned that bl**dy Measures woman again!
Thanks. Two large ones please
You mean Dr Helen Measures who felt it wasn't her fault if someone fell off their bike in front of her because she drove at them on a blind bend and she then drove over them? That Dr Helen Measures?
And her quoted statement during the trial, just for reference:
(Sorry, only just read this thread this far down...).
Yes, it was the infamous killer Dr Helen Measures
There's a history of oppression of people and their various beliefs and religions (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Religious_persecution) and unfortunately it still happens around the world, so it's a topic that should be addressed. However, I'm not convinced that preventing a bit of parking next to their church really fits the definition.
On Wiki you say?
Soon fix that......
NOMCs
As God is omnipresent, the faithful can worship any time, any place, anywhere (sorry for the tautology but roller skates and Martini).
Nothing is stopping them from exercising their superstition and there must be thousands of urban churches where parking directly outside is prohibited,and the prohibition is enforced.
Down with this sort of thing, to quote my theological guide.
Heretic! Let's burn him!
so by his own logic, the eldery could not access the church in 1901 unless they owned a car? and walking (in the rain or otherwise) was not practical?
The church only became viable once the motorcar had been invented
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