Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 11 October 2016
580. Deputy John Lahart asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if his attention has been drawn to the amount of funding that has been cut by the National Transport Authority for the provision of pedestrian and cycle schemes; his plans to reverse these cuts; his views that more funding is needed for the protection of pedestrians and cyclists; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29374/16]
View answerThe National Authority (NTA) is responsible for the development and implementation of public transport and sustainable transport infrastructure projects in the Greater Dublin Area (GDA).
Under the Sustainable Transport Measures Grants (STMG) Programme, my Department provides funding to the NTA for the seven local authorities in the GDA for the implementation of sustainable transport projects such as cycling/walking infrastructure, Quality Bus Corridors, safety, integration and traffic management projects throughout the region. Funding of €23.2m has been allocated to this Programme in 2016. Of this total, I understand that NTA has allocated €14.7m to Dublin City Council to progress 37 different projects.
I am advised by the NTA that with the technical resource requirements available to the Council, not all the desired projects can be progressed simultaneously. The NTA and Dublin City Council have therefore decided to prioritise the traffic works associated with completion of LUAS Cross City, which will also benefit cyclists and pedestrians, plus a slightly reduced number of other sustainable transport schemes and to pause a small number of other projects all of which are at the design stage only. Works will resume at the earliest possible date.
