Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 31 May 2018
210. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the way in which the prevalence of cycling here is monitored; the knowledge of his Department of the trends in the prevalence of cycling here; his strategy to increase the number of persons cycling here; and the number of persons commuting by bicycle. [24206/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraI would like to advise the Deputy that my Department uses various data sources to monitor the prevalence of cycling and the resulting trends. The Central Statistics Office (CSO) provides statistical information on cycling, including the National Travel Survey which illustrates the prevalence of cycling and the trends in cycling numbers.
My Department also monitors cycling numbers and trends using information collated by Dublin City Council and the National Transport Authority and published in the annual Canal Cordon Report. This report provides data on trends in mode share of vehicles and people crossing the Canal Cordon including the number of cyclists who pass the canal cordon in Dublin between 7.00am and 10.00am; The recently published report shows an upward trend of cyclists crossing the canal that continued between 2016 -2017 with numbers increasing by 3%. There has been a steady year on year growth in the number of cyclists crossing the cordon since 2010. In 2017 almost 12,500 cyclists crossed the cordon in the AM peak period. This represents an increase of 157% when compared with 2006, and represents an increase of over 57% in the last five years. Clearly cycling numbers have shown a steady increase in recent years.
I am pleased to inform the Deputy that as part of my Departments overall strategy to increase the numbers cycling I have secured over €110m in capital funding which is specifically allocated to develop cycling and walking infrastructure in the Greater Dublin Area, Galway, Limerick, Cork and Waterford over the period 2018-2021. This programme will provide "active travel" (i.e. cycling and walking) routes, which can help alleviate congestion by improving the viability of these particular forms of travel, and doing so in a way that provides useful connectivity with existing public transport infrastructure. In addition to this, €55m will be spent in this same four year period on Greenways outside of the 5 cities, and the greenway programme will be largely aimed at providing an enhanced tourism and leisure amenity.
A further €135m capital funding has been allocated over this same period for investment in Sustainable Urban Transport projects. These will include projects that will provide either direct or indirect improvements for urban cycling. This programme builds on investment to date to deliver improvements in public and sustainable transport infrastructure in the regional cities and the GDA. It includes traffic management, bus priority and other smarter travel projects, which will allow transport infrastructure to function more effectively and will help relieve traffic congestion. .
Furthermore, investment in the BusConnects Programme in the same period, will deliver a transformative investment package that will finance new and expanded bus routes, greatly improve bus access, and includes designated segregated cycle lanes. NTA calculate, that through BusConnects, over 200 kms of cycle tracks/lanes will be either built or current lanes improved upon.
In addition to funding for the provision of infrastructure, my Department continues to be active in promoting behavioural change to encourage more people to take up cycling and to cycle safely. Funding is provided on an annual basis to the NTA for the delivery of behavioural change programmes such as Workplace and Campus Travel Programme and the Green Schools Travel Programmes. My Department also engaged Cycling Ireland to develop a new national cycle training standard - "Cycle Right" – which was rolled out in January 2017. My Department also supports the great work that is being done by RSA in the promotion of safe roads for all road users, including the more vulnerable users such as cyclists and pedestrians. In addition my Department provides funding to local authorities throughout the country to assist in organising events and activities during Bike Week which further serve to promote cycling.
As part of an overall coordinated approach to the provision of an integrated sustainable transport network of cycling, walking and public transport, these various investments will support and lead to a further increase in the numbers cycling safely, thereby easing congestion, improving public health and enhancing the liveability of our towns and cities; the investment will, I believe, have a lasting transformative effect on our transport network over the coming years.
