Written answers

Wednesday, 29 November 2017

Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport

Cycling Facilities Funding

Photo of Robert TroyRobert Troy (Longford-Westmeath, Fianna Fail)
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421. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the amount that his Department will spend on cycleways in 2018. [51005/17]

Photo of Shane RossShane Ross (Dublin Rathdown, Independent)
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I am pleased to inform the Deputy that, as part of Budget 2018, I secured a significant increase in the level of Exchequer capital funding available for investment in cycling infrastructure over the period 2018-2021.

Capital investment of over €110m will develop cycling and walking infrastructure in the Greater Dublin Area and Regional Cities over the next four years (2018-2021), €8m of which is allocated to 2018.  This programme will provide safe alternative active travel routes to help alleviate congestion by providing viable alternatives and connectivity with existing public transport infrastructure.

My Department is also currently preparing a National Greenways Strategy, building on the success of facilities such as the Great Western Greenway and the Waterford Greenway. Budget 2018 saw an increase of €30 million in the allocation for Greenways bringing the total allocation for the development of Greenways for the period 2018-2021 to over €55 million, with €3.6m specifically allocated to 2018.

In addition to these cycling-specific investments, some other infrastructure investments over the new four years will provide enhancements that will benefit cyclists.  The considerable investment of about three-quarters of a billion euro for re-configuring the bus network and infrastructure will also entail construction of significant new cycling facilities alongside bus routes on the key radial routes into the city centre and provide safe cycling arrangements, largely segregated from other traffic along those corridors.  In addition, some of the €135m funding that will be provided to local authorities in the GDA and the Regional Cities for Sustainable Urban Transport will support better traffic management, bus priority measures and pedestrian infrastructure - which will benefit the safe and effective movement of all.

As part of an overall coordinated approach to the provision of an integrated sustainable transport network of cycling, walking and public transport, these various investments will allow us to further increase the numbers cycling, thereby easing congestion, improving public health and enhancing the liveability of our cities; the investment will, I believe, have a lasting transformative effect on our transport network over the coming years.

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