Minister Joe O’Brien welcomes funding for Active Travel in Fingal

Green Party Minister of State Joe O’Brien TD says he welcomes today’s announcement of €25.5m for Fingal County Council to support 44 different Active Travel Projects.

Some of the local projects include the Skerries Active Travel Plan, St. Cronins Road, the Broadmeadow Way, Harry Reynolds Road, Balbriggan and Rush South Beach.

“I am delighted to announce that Fingal County Council is set to receive funding for 44 projects,” Minister O Brien said.

“26 of those projects are in my own constituency of Dublin Fingal.  This targeted funding will go towards making walking and cycling in our villages, towns and rural and coastal pathways more viable and safe.

“As we continue to meet our commitment of investing almost €1 million nationally on walking and cycling projects each day, I am particularly happy to confirm that the schools participating in Phase 1 of our new Safe Routes to School Programme will also benefit.

“Last year Pope John Paul II NS Malahide and Rush & Lusk ETNS were selected to participate in Phase 1.

“It is great to see our investment in active travel starting to bear fruit.

“It is important to accelerate delivery of sustainable transport modes as we come out of the majority of covid restrictions.

“It is vital that we do not allow a return to gridlock as we come out of the pandemic.

“We need to use the switch to remote working as an opportunity to reallocate road space to create a safer and more efficient transport system.

“Local authorities and the NTA have been provided with an unprecedented increase in funding for additional staff for active travel.

“Further amendments will be brought forward to the Road Traffic and Roads bill in the coming weeks, which will also enable them progress experimental traffic management schemes and other measures which fast track active travel infrastructure.

“We need to be quick, to help reduce our climate emissions but also to use this unique moment in time to create a more attractive and safer local environment.

“Fingal County Council are in a particularly good position to capitalise on government’s commitment to Active Travel with the establishment of their Active Travel office – today’s announcement sees €1.1m dedicated to the running of that office in Fingal.”