Denis Naughten
Ceist:123. Deputy Denis Naughten asked the Minister for Transport his plans to improve the standard of urban cycle lanes; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2964/21]
Amharc ar fhreagraWednesday, 20 January 2021
Ceisteanna (123)
Freagraí scríofa
The Deputy will acknowledge that the Programme for Government – Our Shared Future sets out an ambitious and wide-ranging set of commitments in relation to active travel, supported by an increased multi-annual budgetary allocation amounting to some €1.8 billion over the lifetime of the Government.
I believe he is right to highlight the need to improve the standard of our urban cycle lanes and there is a need to ensure that the type of investment planned in the coming years delivers high-quality, safe and segregated infrastructure that will attract more and more people to make the switch from the private car and toward a more sustainable, healthy mode of transport, such as cycling.
I think there are three critically important aspects to our collective plans in this area:
- A revision of the National Cycle Manual;
- Improved and expanded training of relevant stakeholders in relation to cycle design; and
- Adequate resourcing of local authorities.
I am pleased to say there is work underway or planned in relation to all three aspects.
The National Transport Authority (NTA) expects to shortly commence its review of the National Cycle Manual with a revised Manual expected to be available over the first half of the year. Development of the revised Manual will be accompanied by an extensive training programme to ensure its revised and improved standards are understood and disseminated widely across the sector.
In relation to resourcing the NTA has been working with local authorities in considering the resources required to deliver upon Government’s ambition in the area of active travel. I am committed to working with local authorities in relation to securing those resources and have recently written to the County and City Management Association (CCMA) indicting my support for the proposals developed thus far, committing to funding those proposals, and requesting the CCMA consider the proposals as appropriate to ensure the issue is progressed.