The National Transport Authority (NTA) spent more than €21.6m on the provision for walking/ cycling infrastructure in 2018. This compares to €11.52m the previous year.
The figures are contained in a report published by the NTA today on their Sustainable Transport Measure Grants scheme.
The report was published to coincide with the Velo City conference which takes place in the Convention Centre Dublin this week.
Projects progressed in 2018 include:
- Three sections of the East Coast Trail
- Ballybrack Cycleway, Douglas, Cork
- Newcomen Bridge, North Strand, Dublin
- River Boyne cantilevered bridge, Navan
NTA Chief Executive Anne Graham, who is speaker at the conference today (Thursday) said:
“These are all very exciting projects, and I am confident that they will encourage more people to use the bike by making cycling easier and safer.
Since 2011, thanks in part to investment in projects like these; the number of people who use a bike to get to work has increased substantially.
According to Canal Cordon Count, the numbers of people cycling into Dublin city centre has almost doubled from 6,870 in 2011 to 12,227 in 2018.
But we fully acknowledge that when it comes to cycling infrastructure, a lot more needs to be done, including by the NTA.
Under the Climate Action Plan there is a provision made for the establishment by the NTA of a Cycling Project Office, to develop a 5-year strategy and implementation plan for investment in cycling infrastructure.
We recently put the operation of that office out to tender, with a view to having it in place by the end of this year, so progress is being made.
We spent a lot more in 2018 compared to 2017, and I am very anxious that this upward trend will continue this year and in the years ahead”.