Tommy Broughan (Dublin North East, Labour)
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Question 223: To ask the Minister for Transport the position regarding the implementation of the national cycle policy framework; the number of years over which the estimated €2.3 billion financing for the programme will be allocated; the number of years it will take to fully implement the NCPF; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35355/09]

Noel Dempsey (Meath West, Fianna Fail)
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I refer to the reply to Questions Nos 51 and 30 of 9th July 2009. While there are over one hundred individual actions proposed under Ireland's first National Cycle Policy Framework, the key objectives are to create a culture of cycling in Ireland and to achieve a 10% share of the travel market for cycling by 2020. I have already commenced delivery of actions under the NCPF, including support for exemplary cycling projects and awareness-raising initiatives including last June's National Bike Week which was supported by a dedicated website. An Taisce's Green-Schools Travel programme, which is supported by my Department through the Dublin Transportation Office, is a further key awareness-raising and cycle training initiative.

The wide-ranging nature of the individual interventions in the National Cycle Policy Framework, their interlinkage with actions proposed under the Smarter Travel policy, and the challenges that face us in terms of availability of resources means that it would not be productive, at this stage, to assign precise deadlines to each action. In light of this, it is not reasonable to attempt to project overall costs over the plan period in any meaningful way – rather the focus must be on making progress within existing resources.

I am satisfied that a good start has been made to implementing both Smarter Travel and the National Cycle Policy Framework and I remain convinced that the key objectives of both can be delivered by 2020. A quarterly progress report highlighting progress is available on www.smartertravel.ie