John Paul Phelan (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fine Gael)
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121. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if sufficient clarity exists in legislation in relation to whether motorists or cyclists have priority or right of way at traffic junctions; and to specify what regulations he or his predecessors have put in place in relation to this matter. [38387/24]

James Lawless (Kildare North, Fianna Fail)
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The statutory requirements governing the movement of traffic on public roads in Ireland, including behaviour at junctions, are set out in the Road Traffic (Traffic and Parking) Regulations 1997, as amended. As these regulations apply the term ‘vehicle’ to both mechanically propelled vehicles (MPVs) and to pedal cycles and electric scooters, there is no specific provision granting automatic priority to any of these individual categories at junctions. The rules as set out in the Traffic and Parking Regulations determine that it is such factors as vehicle positioning at a junction, type of junction, and direction of travel which shall determine which road user shall yield right of way to whom, irrespective of whether those road users are driving MPVs, pedal cycles, or electric scooters.

I should highlight to the Deputy, however, that there is one exceptional circumstance in which the regulations grant specific priority to cyclists and e-scooter users over motor-powered traffic, namely in the case of advanced stop lines or ‘bike boxes’. The regulations allow that, where a regulatory stop line is provided at a signal-controlled junction which is approached by a cycle track, a second stop line may be provided ahead of, and parallel to, the first. This advanced stop line is to assist cyclists in establishing their position ahead of other traffic, for safer onward manoeuvres. An MPV driver who fails to stop at the first of these lines and thus enters the bike box is guilty of an offence and risks incurring a Fixed Charge Notice (FCN) penalty.