Darren O'Rourke
Question:197. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for Transport the total budget for cycling and active travel in 2021. [33338/21]
View answerTuesday, 22 June 2021
Questions (197)
Written answers
As the Deputy is likely aware, the Programme for Government committed that €360 million in cross-Government funding will be spent on walking and cycling per annum over the lifetime of the Government. This investment will help support the delivery of almost 1,000 kilometres of improved walking and cycling infrastructure by 2025 as well as additional investment in Greenways.
I am pleased to inform the Deputy that this year, we have seen a significant increase in funding, in line with the Government’s prioritisation of Active Travel and Greenways. I was delighted to announce earlier this year an allocation of €240 million to Active Travel projects in the Greater Dublin Area, along with an additional €72.8 million to projects in the other local authorities. The latter funding stream constitutes the first ever major Active Travel investment programme for rural Ireland. €50 million has been allocated to the Department’s Greenways programme in 2021 in addition to a carryover of €19m from 2020. This overall increase in funding will not only support the construction and improvement of walking and cycling infrastructure but also the deployment of almost 250 Active Travel staff in local authorities around the country.
The Deputy should also be aware that local authorities can also access funding sources through other Departments to support walking and cycling infrastructure development. The two most significant are the Urban Regeneration and Development Fund (URDF), which falls under the remit of the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage, and the Rural Regeneration and Development Fund (RRDF), overseen by the Department of Rural and Community Development. The latter Department also supports leisure orientated walking and cycling through the Outdoor Recreation Infrastructure Scheme (ORIS).