Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 26 June 2018
472. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if a cost assessment has been conducted in connection with the establishment of a national cycling office; and if so, the estimated cost of same. [27378/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs the Deputy is aware, as Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport I have responsibility for policy and overall funding in relation to public and sustainable transport. With the increased multi-annual capital funding that I secured as part of Budget 2018, there is over €110 million specifically allocated to developing "active travel" (i.e. cycling and walking) at a national level over the period 2018-2021. This programme will provide safe alternative active travel routes to help alleviate congestion by providing viable alternatives and connectivity with existing public transport infrastructure. This investment is in addition to the substantial improvement in cycling infrastructure that will be carried out as part of both the roll-out of BusConnects national programme and the investment that is allocated for sustainable urban transport initiatives.
I am not, however, involved in the day-to-day delivery of walking and cycling infrastructure projects. The National Transport Authority (NTA) is responsible for the development and implementation of cycling infrastructure in the Greater Dublin Area (GDA) and the regional cities. My Department provides funding to the NTA who distribute this to the various local authorities nationally in relation to cycle scheme proposals that they put forward. In this regard, and in conjunction with the NTA, Local Authorities have a key role to play in advancing cycling schemes; both the elected members and executive through the planning and construction phases.
My Department also funds the development and roll-out of Cycle Right the national cycling training standard, developed by Cycling Ireland with the involvement of stakeholders including the RSA, An Garda Síochána, An Taisce (who operate the Green Schools Scheme), Coaching Ireland and local authorities. Cycle Right training aims to give trainees the confidence, skill and road safety knowledge to use their bike safely. Over a series of stages, cyclists will increase their proficiency and safe journeying on the road network. A key element to this training are the rules of the road. Cycle Right roll-out in our schools and communities is a key component of the resources made available by me in training participants to cycle safely and to move towards more active, healthy lifestyles. This Cycle Right programme, that currently costs €430,000 per annum, is accessible to primary schools across the country with a current uptake of over 15,000 pupils annually with an ambition to build on these numbers.
In the context of the work underway reviewing Public Transport Policy as committed to in the Programme for Government, my Department is turning its attention to considering the effectiveness of institutional arrangements in this area into the future, including the provision of a National Cycling Office, and having regard to the importance of ensuring strong outcomes with the budgetary increases that have been secured for the provision of enhanced cycling infrastructure and through training programmes.
