Council welcomes allocation of €3m funding for Sustainable Transport projects by the NTA
Fingal County Council has welcomed the allocation of €3m from the National Transport Authority (NTA) which will support an ambitious programme of pedestrian and cycle improvement schemes around the county.
Fingal County Council has welcomed the allocation of €3m from the National Transport Authority (NTA) which will support an ambitious programme of pedestrian and cycle improvement schemes around the county.
Some 11 projects, including four new schemes, have been awarded funding under the Sustainable Transport Measures Grants (STMG) 2019 programme in the largest round of funding the local authority has received since this funding programme was initiated by the NTA in 2011.
The funding boost under STMG, along with Fingal County Council’s own three-year Capital Programme 2019-2021, will support the delivery of these much-anticipated sustainable infrastructural transport projects.
The largest tranche of funding, totalling €1.35m, was allocated towards the extension of the S2S Sandycove to Sutton cycle route further north into Fingal, which will form the southern section of the Fingal Coastal Way. Contractors are due on site this year to move forward with the Baldoyle-Portmarnock Coastal Route element, while a planning application to continue the route to Malahide is due later in the year.
Some €150,000 has been allocated to the Broadmeadow Way, which will see the extension of the Fingal Coastal Way by way of a cycle and pedestrian bridge across the Malahide Estuary. A planning application is expected to be lodged in the coming weeks.
Some €450,000 has been awarded to the Snugborough Road Interchange Upgrade. This project is already moving forward and it is expected that advanced works will take place this year, with full construction due to get underway next year.
The Royal Canal Urban Greenway, plans for which are currently undergoing an initial informal public consultation process, received a €200,000 allocation. It is hoped that a planning application could be submitted later this year.
The planned Harry Reynolds Road Cycle Route in Balbriggan was awarded €370,000. A planning application is expected to be lodged this year also.
Other projects to receive funding are: €100,000 – Damastown to Clonsilla Cycle Route; and €30,000 – Rush-Lusk Cycle Route.
The four new projects to receive funding are: €110,000 – Ikea Bus Stop; €110,000 – Blanchardstown Bus Stops; €100,000 – DPTIM; and €50,000 – Swords Cycle Network.
Director of Planning and Strategic Infrastructure AnnMarie Farrelly said: “This is great news for Fingal as it seeks to develop sustainable transport initiatives across the county. High quality STMG-funded walking and cycling facilities, alongside other cycling and walking facilities being developed, will ensure that Fingal has attractive, sustainable and integrated walking and cycling facilities in place for current and future generations. “
“Fingal County Council has allocated additional staffing resources in support of these important infrastructural programmes over the last couple of years, and this is reflected in this year’s allocation from the NTA which will underpin our Capital Programme as well as the greenway elements of the Fingal Climate Change Action Plan 2019-2024.”
Senior Engineer Paul Carroll said: “There are a range of projects at various stages of development, with some proceeding to construction this year, while others will continue to be brought through the planning and design stages. What this means is that at any one time, there will be a steady stream of projects being advanced through all stages of the project life-cycle, thereby maximising Fingal County Council’s ability to deliver the network.”