DCC called on to fix ‘unfair imbalance’ in transport funding

Labour councillor for the South-West Inner City Darragh Moriarty has called on the National Transport Authority (NTA) and Dublin City Council (DCC) to “correct the unfair imbalance of funding” in cycling infrastructure in the area.

Speaking during National Bike Week, Moriarty says that the breakdown of the Active Travel Grants for 2022 shows that the Dublin South Central Area has been allocated €600,000 across six individual projects, while its neighbouring Dublin South East Area has been allocated €7,825,000 across 18 individual projects.

Moriarty says that inner-city residents are not being given the opportunity to reduce their dependency on private vehicles for getting around.

“We all know we have to dramatically reduce our car dependence if we are to have any hope of achieving our climate action targets,” he says.

“But people and communities need to be given the opportunity to contribute so that they can play their equal part in that effort.

“Here, as we mark National Bike Day today, we have a blatant example of a more neglected part of our capital city, my own area of Dublin South Central, receiving a fraction of what the neighbouring, more affluent Dublin South East Area is receiving when it comes to Active Travel Grants.”

Moriarty says there is a clear disparity between the neighbouring areas with regards to transport funding and infrastructure.

“If you look at the total amount being drawn down by DCC, the South Central Area will get about one percent of that, while the South East Area will get 15 percent – how the Dublin City Council Executive thinks that’s fair is beyond me.

“While there is a further €7,250,000 ring-fenced for joint projects that will benefit both areas, specifically along the Liffey and Grand Canal, when you look at the allocation for individual projects in each area, that’s where the imbalance jumps out.

“On average, you’re looking at €100,000 across six projects in the South-Central Area compared to €434,000, on average, across 18 projects in the South East Area,” Moriarty says.

A letter, which was written and signed by Moriarty and nine other local councillors, was sent to Chief Executive of the council Owen Keegan and Assistant Chief Executive John Flanagan on April 26 seeking an explanation for the imbalance in funding.

However, no response or explanation has yet been received.

“The people and communities we represent deserve better and more accountability than this,” Moriarty says.

“The DCC Executive might be able to explain away some sort of higher grants allocation in the South East Area, as it takes in more of the city-centre core than my own area, but I can’t see how you could justify spending over 13 times more.”