Jack Chambers (Dublin West, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Deputy and I acknowledge his local experience and feedback relating the active travel scheme. The Department of Transport has responsibility for the provision of funding and setting of policy in relation to transport issues, including active travel. The National Transport Authority, NTA, has responsibility for the allocation of funding to projects at local authority level and works with the local authorities to ensure delivery of same.

The Deputy will be aware that a significant increase in funding has been allocated to walking and cycling infrastructure projects in recent years, following a commitment of approximately €360 million per annum in the programme for Government.

The NTA’s active travel programme receives most of this funding each year, with around €290 million allocated through that agency across all local authorities in 2023. Of the 2023 funding, South Dublin County Council received an allocation of just over €22 million. One of the projects funded through this allocation is the Dublin 24 neighbourhood cycle network, which aims to rapidly deliver approximately 11 km of protected cycle facilities that will fill in the gaps in the existing cycle network and provide direct links to twelve schools, parks, sports clubs and local amenities.

This project is a two-phase scheme. Phase 1 including Killinarden Heights, Killinarden Way, Whitestown Way, Kiltipper Way and Firhouse Road West. It is currently under construction and is expected to be completed in the middle of next year.

Phase 2, encompassing Killininny Road, Ballycullen Road, Ballycullen Drive and Ballycullen Avenue, is expected to commence early next year. Speed surveys carried out prior to the commencement of these works showed that just under 20% of vehicles were travelling in excess of the speed limit, which is obviously undesirable in built-up areas with a number of schools on the route. The project is one of the Department's 35 pathfinder projects. These aim to reduce emissions from transport by enabling the shift to cleaner transport choices. The programme seeks to increase delivery and momentum at local level by providing exemplar templates that can be replicated and scaled up elsewhere.

The majority of roads in the Dublin 24 neighbourhood cycle network are part of the Cycle South Dublin programme, a blueprint for the delivery of 260 km of new and enhanced active travel routes across 65 projects. The network is being implemented under section 38 of the Road Traffic Act 1994. I am informed that three briefings were delivered to South Dublin county councillors and, although not obligatory, a public consultation took place in late 2022. The 26 submissions received during this process were taken into consideration as part of the design process.

I have been informed that South Dublin County Council is considering amendments to facilitate feedback. I also have been informed that the network complies with the current design manual for urban roads and streets around road space reallocation.

As part of active travel projects and if pathfinder projects are going to be exemplars for the future, in the context of bringing people in communities with us, then it is important that there be strengthened engagement with local communities. I will certainly reflect the feedback Deputy Lahart has given me to the National Transport Authority. This is important in the context of other projects. We were both involved, at different points, in the BusConnects public consultation, which has taken a significant length of time to evolve from the original proposal to what we have now. If there had been more of a middle ground from the beginning, then I believe we would have seen progress being made sooner. It is important, though, that there is community buy-in. South Dublin County Council has said it is considering amendments to facilitate the feedback from the local community. I will certainly reflect the wider concern that Deputy Lahart has about this local engagement, which is of fundamental importance to drive active travel across communities.

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