Funding of €360 million has been allocated to the development of cycling and walking infrastructure across the State this year, more than a quarter of which will be spent on projects in Dublin.
The money is an amalgamation of the National Transport Authority (NTA) active travel fund of €290 million for walking and cycling infrastructure in villages, towns and cities, with €62 million in “greenway” funding generally used for more long-distance scenic routes.
In addition, €8 million has been allocated for smaller-scale “behavioural change and training programmes”, said the Department of Transport. These include CycleRight training in primary schools and the NTA’s Smarter Travel workplaces and campuses programme, to encourage bicycle use.
The county-by-county breakdown of grants shows €97,650,000 – 27 per cent of the total allocation – will be spent in Dublin. The capital’s city council will get the lion’s share with a budget of €35.95 million, with projects including the Royal Canal greenway, the Liffey cycle route, the North Circular Road cycle route and the Dodder Greenway securing funding. However, the largest tranche of the council’s allocation, €3.8 million, will be used to pay staff in the active travel office.
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Fingal County Council will get the next largest allocation in Dublin, with grants totalling €24 million. Half of this, €12.2 million, will go to fund the Broadmeadow Estuary Greenway, a 6km route which will allow cyclists to travel directly from Malahide to Donabate on a new bridge over the estuary alongside the rail line.
South Dublin County Council has secured €19,250,000, with the largest sum, €5.5 million, going to the Firhouse Road Active Travel Improvement Scheme. Dún Laoghaire Rathdown County Council will receive €18,450,000 and will spend €5.5 million on its Central Active Travel Scheme of segregated cycle routes along Mounttown Road, Glenageary Road and Kill Avenue.
Regionally, Cork City Council will get the largest allocation with grants of €27 million. Its biggest project is the Lehenaghmore Road Improvement Scheme, which will receive €7 million, with €2.4 million going to the Knockfree Avenue/Knockpogue Avenue Active Travel Scheme.
Limerick City and County Council does next best with €18 million in funding. Its largest project is the Mary Immaculate College to City Centre Cycle Route, also known as the South Circular Road route, which has been allocated €3 million.
Galway City Council has secured just over €9.5 million. Its largest spend will be €2.8 million on the Ballybane and Castlepark Active Travel Scheme. Waterford City and County Council has secured just €8.5 million, almost half of which – just over €4 million – is being spent on the Tramore Ring Road Active Travel Scheme.
Several rural greenway projects will share in the €62 million fund, including the South Kerry Greenway and the extension of the Ulster Canal Greenway in Monaghan.
