Written answers

Tuesday, 27 July 2021

Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport

Cycling Facilities

Photo of Brendan GriffinBrendan Griffin (Kerry, Fine Gael)
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282. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if he has further examined the concept of priority cycle routes particularly in proximity to planned or established greenways; if he will fund a pilot project for local authorities to apply to for such developments; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41299/21]

Photo of Hildegarde NaughtonHildegarde Naughton (Galway West, Fine Gael)
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The Programme for Government – Our Shared Future sets out an ambitious and wide-ranging set of commitments in relation to walking and cycling, supported by an increased multi-annual budgetary allocation amounting to some €360m per annum over the lifetime of the Government. This funding allocation will see the roll-out of walking and cycling infrastructure across the country, including Greenways.

The issue of connectivity between various types of walking and cycling infrastructure, whether active travel projects in our cities or Greenways across more rural areas, is one which is currently being examined. The Strategy for the Future Development of National and Regional Greenways is strategic and cites the need to link into existing cycling and walking infrastructure.

To this end, both the National Transport Authority (NTA) and Transport Infrastructure Ireland (TII) are undertaking complementary pieces of work to both map existing infrastructure and identify any connectivity gaps to inform future planning decisions and funding allocations. The NTA are working directly with local authorities to create local level Cycling Plans, while the TII will examine this issue at a national, strategic level. It is hoped that a National Cycle Network plan will be produced by Quarter 3 2022.

The issue of cycle routes and their proximity to planned or established greenways will form part of this valuable workstream. The issue of funding for pilot projects as suggested by the Deputy is one which we can examine further as work on the production of a National Cycle Network plan progresses into next year.

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