Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 16 September 2021
79. Deputy Brian Leddin asked the Minister for Transport if he plans to take measures to accelerate the provision of active travel infrastructure as pandemic restrictions recede; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44133/21]
View answerThe 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 over the lifetime of the Government. From 2021 to 2025 we will see the equivalent of 20% of the 2020 transport capital budget, approximately €360 million per annum, invested into Ireland’s walking and cycling infrastructure. This investment will help support the planned delivery of around 1,000 kilometres of improved walking and cycling infrastructure by 2025 as well as additional investment in Greenways.
As we emerge from a difficult time of COVID-19 restrictions, I am cognisant of the fact that we also have a major opportunity to change the way that we travel in this country. The ongoing delivery of Active Travel infrastructure across the country will be important for us to implement changes to encourage more people to walk/cycle more, which will not only to ease traffic congestion in our urban areas but also reduce carbon emissions from private vehicles.
As Minister for Transport I have responsibility for policy and overall funding in relation to public transport infrastructure. The National Transport Authority (NTA) has responsibility for the development, implementation and oversight of public and sustainable transport infrastructure, allocating the funding provided by my Department at project level and working in conjunction with the relevant local authorities to ensure that projects are delivered as intended.
In 2021, the NTA allocated just over €240 million to active travel infrastructure projects in Dublin, the Greater Dublin Area and the regional cities. This funding will support the addition of 233 projects to the NTA's urban investment programme this year, bringing the total to over 450 projects.
In addition, 2021 has seen the launch of the first ever major active travel investment programme for rural Ireland. €72.8m was allocated by the NTA to the 19 remaining local authorities, which is greater than the entire 2019 funding allocation for walking and cycling. The NTA had initially earmarked €50m for this scheme but was increased due to the volume of project proposals being developed by local authorities.
In March I was delighted to launch the Safe Routes to School Programme in conjunction with the NTA and An Taisce's Green Schools Programme, which will see the roll out of safer walking and cycling routes within communities, aiming to alleviate congestion at the school gates and increase the number of students who walk or cycling to school by providing the necessary infrastructure. I was delighted with the uptake of this Programme, with applications from over 900 schools received. 170 schools around the country will receive funding under the first round of the Safe Routes to School Programme; I would like to note that the remaining schools who applied initially for the Programme will not be required to reapply as all schools which applied will come into the Programme on a rolling basis.
With the allocation of additional funding comes the problem of local authorities actually having the capacity to spend it and deliver the projects as planned. To this end, earlier this year I wrote to the County and City Management Association to advise that around 250 additional staff would be allocated to local authorities around the country to work on the delivery of Active Travel projects. I understand that recruitment processes are ongoing and I hope to see these staff fully in place by early 2022.
The increase in funding and resources signal a commitment by Government to accelerate the provision of Active Travel infrastructure around Ireland, and I look forward to the delivery of these projects as a matter of priority.
