Róisín Shortall
Ceist:293. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the allocation to cycling projected in 2019; and the percentage this represents of all land transport funding. [44196/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraWednesday, 24 October 2018
Ceisteanna (293)
Freagraí scríofa
The Deputy is aware that over the period 2018 to 2021 I have secured significantly improved funding allocations which will benefit both cycling and walking.
Funding for cycling and walking is provided by my Department to the National Transport Authority (NTA), which in turn works with relevant local authorities as required to fund, develop and deliver specific projects.
These improved allocations over the 2018 to 2021 period include:
- €750million as part of the BusConnects programme in Dublin which will inter alia deliver around 200kilometres of segregated cycling lanes where possible;
- €110million specifically dedicated to other cycling and walking infrastructure in our major urban areas;
- €135million for sustainable urban transport measures; and
- €53million over the period 2019 to 2021 to support the development of new Greenways in more rural areas, in line with the recently published Greenways Strategy.
As can be seen from the above, these are multi-annual capital expenditure programmes with individual allocations and draw-downs in any given year potentially misleading as to the cumulative allocation and impact over the four year period.
In terms of the percentage allocated to active travel measures, the Deputy is aware that the totality of land transport funding includes measures such as PSO funding which have no direct or likely equivalent within active travel and would also include measures such as regional and local road maintenance, which would be of indirect benefit to cycling also.
In addition to these infrastructure measures, my Department also provides funding to the NTA in relation to behavioural change programmes and to Cycle Right which delivers cycle training in primary schools.
I believe the measures I have described above and the funding I have secured to underpin them, will positively assist with the better development and provision of cycling and walking infrastructure across the State.