The Green Party has strongly welcomed proposals from Dublin City Council to put in place a high quality cycle lane along the Liffey Quays in Dublin City. With a huge increase in the number of Dublin cyclists, upgrades to this dangerous and dysfunctional section of road are long overdue, and will quickly benefit both consumers and tourism. Recently elected Councillor Ciarán Cuffe stated this morning: "For years we have argued for improvements in the city's cycling infrastructure, and this is the sort of ambitious proposal that the city desperately needs. As it stands, the Liffey Quays are polluted, dangerous and not fit for purpose. What we need are wider footpaths, more greenery and decent cycle facilities."Ten years ago the city of Bordeaux transformed their quayside to give space to pedestrians and cycling and it is viewed now as a fantastic success. This is the kind of progressive thinking that we need in Dublin. Years ago, when Grafton Street and Henry Street were proposed for pedestrianisation, the nay-sayers asked where would the cars go if streets were pedestrianised. They were wrong then, and they are wrong now, and that blinkered thinking should not be allowed to prevail today."If you design cities for cars then you get more traffic. If you design cities for people then you can transform urban space, attract tourists and make the city a better place to live and shop in. As Dublin retailers compete with out-of town shopping centres and online sales, it is all the more important that we create a pleasant environment where people can shop, live and relax. We need to start with the Liffey Quays."ENDS Date Issued 17Jun14