Ms Joan Martin:

There are considerable opportunities for local authorities to gain funding for cycleways. For example, the INTERREG programme provides funding, on a cross-Border basis, for a modal shift. There is a major cycleway from Omeath in County Louth to Newry in County Down that will ultimately allow people to cycle from Carlingford in County Louth to near Belfast in County Antrim via various canal ways and so on. There are also funding opportunities for cycleways that are over 20 km long. Off-road cycling is an important way forward. Certainly, we provide many cycle lanes on roads in urban areas but many people would like completely segregated cycleways rather than cycleways along a road. We have mixtures of both types of cycleways around the country.

The proliferation of cycleways will not happen overnight. I am certain that the increasing provision of cycleways is a major part of the plan for all local authorities, be they for leisure purposes, for modal shift purposes or to provide access to schools. Applications for urban and rural regeneration have just been submitted and my local authority had received at least one application that is very much about connectivity for children in a town to gain access to schools by way of walking and cycling. The issue is very much on the agenda. We are moving in that direction but improvements will not happen overnight. I am definite that there has been a major policy shift in that direction. There are very welcome opportunities, on a regular basis, to apply for funding, which is excellent.