Eamon Ryan (Dublin Bay South, Green Party)
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The Sustainable Mobility Policy (SMP) Pathfinder Programme was launched on 17 October 2022, consisting of a range of exemplar transport projects to be delivered - at speed - by local authorities, and other bodies, around the country in order to demonstrate the enormous benefits of sustainable mobility to local communities.

A key criterion for designating projects as 'pathfinders' was the capacity of project sponsors to deliver projects by the end of 2025. Progress in delivering the Pathfinder Programme in accordance with this timeframe is monitored on an ongoing basis by the SMP Leadership Group - one of the climate action taskforces established by Government, supported by a programme management team within my Department.

To date, two projects have been fully completed. In January, the first full electrification of a town bus service was launched in Athlone, providing clean and green public transport services for the town, and paving the way for a similar transition in other services across Ireland. In May, the National Transport Authority launched a new Smarter Travel Mark. This Mark will provide certification to organisations that support active and sustainable travel and encourage the reduction in single-person car usage amongst their staff, customers, visitors, and students in the case of third level campuses.

The first portion of the Longford Town Core Cycle Network - the N63 Majors Well Road project – has been completed and two further sections are on track to be delivered by mid-2024. Two sections of the Cork to Waterford Inter-Urban Demonstrator Pathfinder, namely Bilberry to Waterford City and Dunkettle to Carrigtohill, were completed in June 2023, with further sections due for completion in 2024 and 2025. This pathfinder is helping to create a seamless cycling link between Cork and Waterford. Phase one of the Dublin City Centre Pathfinder project was implemented in May with the introduction of a 24/7 bus gate through College Green, and the Castletymon District Enhancement Project led by South Dublin County Council will be completed in December 2023.

Progress has also been made on the Smart and Sustainable Mobility Accelerator Programme pathfinder, a three-year education and capacity-building programme for local authorities and key stakeholders, including local councillors, who are working and innovating in this space. The first series of workshops took place from September to November 2023 and delivered training to a multi-disciplinary group of 86 participants from local authorities, regional assemblies and Local Link coordinators.

The SMP Leadership Group will continue to monitor progress across all pathfinder projects at its quarterly meetings, and will include a mid-programme review of progress as part of a wider SMP Progress Report, which will published in Q3 2024.