A new network of cycling routes across the country has been unveiled, at a cost of €1.4 billion by 2040. The plans will create 3,500km of dedicated cycling routes across all 26 counties in the Republic.
Minister for Transport Eamon Ryan said the routes will link 200 villages, towns and cities and that 2.8 million people would have easy access to the new National Cycle Network.
Ryan added while the first 1,000km in the network would include existing infrastructure, such as greenways and cycles, the remain 2,500km of cycling routes would take more than 15 years to complete.
He unveiled the place in Sallins in Co Kildare on the occasion of the opening of an 11km section of canal greenway to Aylmer's Bridge. That section forms part of the much larger canal greenway which, when completed, with follow the canal some 130km from Dublin to the Shannon.
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The National Cycle Network was developed by Transport Infrastructure Ireland (TII). The aim is that 80 per cent of households and nearly 90 per cent of jobs will be located within 5km of the network.
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It is composed of 85 corridors, integrating existing and planned greenways and other cycling infrastructure such as the Eurovelo routes, as well as an extensive new network of safe cycle routes along existing roads.
“It is great to launch this plan today here along the Grand Canal Greenway, because it shows that we are already well on the way to developing this new visionary national cycling network, with plans also underway to fast-track delivery of a further 1,000 km of cycle routes by 2030,” Ryan said.
“This national cycling network will act as a core spine, connecting towns, cities and destinations across the country with safe, segregated cycling infrastructure wherever feasible.
"I think this will really help to encourage cycling confidence and in turn the number of trips taken by both walking and cycling amongst locals, leisure users, and tourists alike.”
Implementation of the NCN will be on a phased basis. It is envisaged that approximately 1,000km of the plan - some 28 per cent of the network - will be implemented by the end of 2030 as part of Phases 1 and 2. Phase 3 will be implemented between 2031 and 2040.
