Councils across Ireland offered grants for cycling, walking facilities

The Liffey Cycle Route is one of the largest cycling facilities put in place during the lock-down. And now the Government wants councils to make a series of changes to streets to cater for people switching to walking and cycling as the Republic re-opens after lock-down and transport patterns change (Photo by Dublin City Council, homepage photo by Dermott McMorrough)

Local authorities across the country have been urged to apply for grants so they can alter streets to make more space for cyclists and pedestrians.

The move comes as the Republic is opening back up again
following months of Covid19 lock-down.

With capacity on public transport set to reduce by 80 per cent in the months ahead, due to the need for social distancing, large numbers of people are expected to switch to cycling and walking.

There has already been an explosion in cycling across the country, with Sport Ireland research showing numbers cycling have doubled in recent months and many bike shops reporting unprecedented demand for new bikes and services.

And now the Government has urged local authorities to plan for that switch and apply for grants that will help the councils change their streets, as Dun Laoghaire Rathdown Co Council is planning with Blackrock village.

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Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport Shane Ross said
technical and financial support would be available to councils to deliver
improved walking and cycling infrastructure across the country.

“In recent weeks we’ve all had to reassess how space
should be shared in our cities and towns to better reflect the needs of
pedestrians and cyclists,” he said.

“Improving our infrastructure is crucial so that people will feel confident about choosing to walk or cycle while enabling social distancing. I would particularly ask motorists to take note of extra cyclists on the road and ensure that they give them space and consideration.”

Blackrock village in south Dublin is set to undergo changes reducing the presence of vehicles, offering more space to pedestrians and cyclists and allowing some companies, such as food and drink outlets, to move some of their seating outside
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Grant aid and technical advice and support will be made
available to council’s who apply for it for a range of measures including:

  • Widening of footpaths to facilitate queuing outside shops and enable social distancing
  • Potential pedestrianisation of some streets where necessary and feasible to accommodate social distancing, particularly where this supports business activities
  • Potential one-way systems to create space for footpath widening
  • Altering traffic signal times to reduce pedestrian waiting/crowding plus the automatic activation of some pedestrian phases in order to aid pedestrian movement and to minimise contact with signal push buttons
  • Providing additional temporary facilities for cyclists
  • Provision of some external space where appropriate to support business activities

The National Transport Authority (NTA) has written to all 31 local authorities to offer technical and financial support “to review their current street arrangements” in order to facilitate changed transport patterns.

Seapoint in south Dublin has become cycling country of late, as these photos by Dermot McMorrough show

“This is about local authorities providing space for safe
movement of people and business activities, and is also about accommodating the
changed transport patterns,” said NTA chief executive Anne Graham.

“NTA will be in a position to grant aid in full, various
proposals subject of course, to those proposals being agreed in advance of
implementation.

“We are conscious that such measures are required
urgently in various places which is why the process of NTA agreement and
funding will be simple and fast.”

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