Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 19 April 2023
39. Deputy Holly Cairns asked the Minister for Transport to provide details of funding schemes currently open or schemes that will be open this year to which local authorities can apply to improve active travel infrastructure adjacent to national schools; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18607/23]
View answerAs Minister for Transport, I have overall responsibility for funding and policy in relation to sustainable transport, including Active Travel. Funding for walking and cycling infrastructure projects is administered to local authorities through the NTA's Active Travel Programme, and is allocated to projects in all local authorities on an annual basis. The 2023 allocations were announced on 1 February this year, and are available here.
The Safe Routes to School programme also aims to create safer walking and cycling routes within communities, alleviate congestion at the school gates and increase the number of students who walk or cycle to school by providing the necessary infrastructure. A quarter of all schools in the country responded to the call for expressions of interest, and all of these schools will eventually come in to the Programme on a rolling basis. 275 schools have entered the Programme to date. At this point in time there are no plans to reopen the Programme for additional applications.
Local authorities should ensure that they engage with the NTA in relation to any potential active travel infrastructure, including that adjacent to national schools, in order that they are considered for inclusion in the annual Active Travel Programme allocations.
