The National Transport Authority (NTA) has allocated €15.5 million in funding to local authorities in the Midlands with a view to spending on walking and cycling infrastructure in 2024. This substantial investment will fund approximately 800 Active Travel projects throughout the country, with 1,000km of new and improved walking and cycling infrastructure between 2020 and 2025, a key target included in a number of Government Climate and Road Safety Strategies. This includes the development of segregated cycle lanes and widened footpaths, new walking and cycling bridges, and new pedestrian crossings.
Midlands Allocations
2024 will be the year that the Government’s total investment for active travel infrastructure since 2020 will be at the €1bn mark. Let’s have a look at where the funding will go in the midlands region.
Laois
Funding of €3m for Laois, will allow for many projects already started to be progressed, such as the Triogue Way in Portlaoise with Phase 2 – “Parklands” which will receive €750,000, the largets allocation of the money in Laois. It is part of the construction of a shared, pedestrian and cycle route from The People’s Park off Timahoe Road to Green Mill Lane, off the Ridge Road. €500,000 is to be spent on the provision of bus stops/shelters in Laois.
| Table A: Laois County Council | |||
| Active Travel Investment Grants 2024: | |||
| Project Code | Project Name | 2024 Allocation | |
| Laois County Council | |||
| LS/21/0003 | Father Browne Avenue Cycle Scheme, Portlaoise | € | 50,000 |
| LS/21/0006 | Active Travel Scheme, Dublin Road, Portlaoise | € | 50,000 |
| LS/21/0018 | Low Cost Junction Tightening / Pedestrian Crossing Schemes | € | 200,000 |
| LS/21/0020 | SRTS – St Paul’s N.S., Mountmellick | € | 50,000 |
| LS/22/0001 | Portlaoise Local Transport Plan | € | 75,000 |
| LS/22/0004 | Active Travel Office – Staff Costs | € | 330,000 |
| LS/23/0024 | Rapid Deployment – R445 Mountrath Rd, Portlaoise | € | 300,000 |
| LS/23/0012 | Active Travel, Permeability Scheme, Mountmellick | € | 300,000 |
| LS/23/0018 | Active Travel, Permeability Scheme, Portarlington | € | 5,000 |
| LS/23/0025 | Active Travel Scheme, Borris Rd, Portlaoise | € | 400,000 |
| LS/23/0028 | Triogue Way, Portlaoise – Phase 2- Parklands | € | 750,000 |
| LS/23/0029 | Triogue Way, Portlaoise – Phase 3 -Trogue way to N80 | € | 60,000 |
| LS/23/0027 | SRTS – Camross National School, Camross -R2 | € | 150,000 |
| LS/24/xxxx | Park and Stride, Summerhill, Portlaoise | € | 30,000 |
| LS/24/xxxx | Active Travel Scheme, Station Road & Canal Road, Portarlington | € | 200,000 |
| LS/24/xxxx | Shared e-bike enabling works | € | 50,000 |
| Total: | € 3,000,000 | ||
| Allocations Through Other NTA Funding Streams | |||
| LS/24/xxxx | Bus Stop Enhancement Programme | € | 500,000 |
| Subtotal: | €500,000 | ||
| Total: | €3,500,000 |
Longford
Most of the allocation for Longford – €1,825,267 – is for the R198 Battery Road Pedestrian and Cycle Scheme, Longford Town. €744,733 will go towards the Longford Town N63 Pedestrian and Cycle Scheme and €200,000 to the R392 Ballymahon, Pedestrian and Cycle Improvement Scheme.
| Table A: Longford County Council | |||
| Active Travel Investment Grants: 2024 Allocations | |||
| Project Code | Project Name | 2024 Allocation | |
| Longford County Council | |||
| LD/21/0004 | Royal Canal Permeability Links Study | € | 5,000 |
| LD/21/0005 | Active Travel Pathfinder: R198 Battery Road Pedestrian and Cycle Scheme, Longford Town | € | 1,825,267 |
| LD/21/0006 | Aghafad Pedestrian and Cycle Scheme, Longford Town | € | 25,000 |
| LD/21/0007 | R392 Ballymahon, Pedestrian and Cycle Improvement Scheme | € | 200,000 |
| LD/21/0008 | Granard, Market St to Barrack Lane, Pedestrian and Cycle Scheme | € | 90,000 |
| LD/21/0009 | Granard, R194 Longford Road Pedestrian and Cycle Scheme | € | 140,000 |
| LD/21/0010 | Active Travel Pathfinder: Longford Town – N63 Pedestrian and Cycle Scheme | € | 744,733 |
| LD/21/0015 | Ennybegs – Pedestrian and Cycle Facilities in 50KpH Zone linking Village to School | € | 35,000 |
| LD/22/0001 | Active Travel Offices – Staff Costs | € | 280,000 |
| LD/23/0011 | SRTS (R2) Scoil Mhuire Clondra | € | 75,000 |
| LD/23/0012 | SRTS (R2) St. Teresa’s Clontumpher | € | 10,000 |
| LD/24/XXXX | Royal Canal Greenway Link to Market Square | € | 30,000 |
| LD/24/XXXX | Templemichael Cycleway and Camlin Bridge to Mall, Longford Town | € | 10,000 |
| LD/24/XXXX | Lower Battery Road, Church Street | € | 30,000 |
| Total: | € 3,500,000 | ||
| Allocations Through Other NTA Funding Streams | |||
| LD/24/xxxx | Bus Stop Enhancement Programme | € | 500,000 |
| Subtotal: | €500,000 | ||
| Total: | €4,000,000 |
Offaly
Edenderry alone will receive funding totalling €850,000 for a range of active travel measures. Among the other main allocations was €322,000 for Phase One of the Tullamore Cycle Network, while a further €85,000 has been earmarked for the implementation of the town’s transport plan. The Spollenstown Road Active Travel Scheme in Tullamore will receive €168,000 while a further €125,000 has been allocated to the Tullamore Urban Greenway Project.
| Table A: Offaly County Council | |||
| Active Travel Investment Grants: 2024 Allocations | |||
| Project Code | Project Name | 2024 Allocation | |
| Offaly County Council | |||
| OY/21/0001 | Tullamore Transport Plan | € | 71,500 |
| OY/21/0002 | Tullamore Cycle Network Phase 1 | € | 253,650 |
| OY/21/0003 | Active Travel Footpaths Improvements: Birr & Crinkill | € | 32,850 |
| OY/21/0006 | Active Travel Footpath Improvements Cloghan | € | 250,000 |
| OY/21/0007 | Tullamore – Spollenstown Road Active Travel Scheme | € | 200,000 |
| OY/21/0011 | Junction Tightening : Edenderry & Birr | € | 96,000 |
| OY/21/0013 | Tullamore Urban Greenway Project | € | 200,000 |
| OY/22/0001 | Edenderry – R402-1 Junction Upgrade | € | 68,500 |
| OY/22/0003 | Birr – Riverside Walk Upgrade Links | € | 61,500 |
| OY/22/0004 OY/22/0005 | Rhode – Pedestrian Crossings & Footpath MUCKLAGH – Brocca Road – Junction/Footpath | € € | 140,000 6,500 |
| OY/22/0006 | Shinrone – Cloughjordan Road Active Travel Scheme | € | 207,500 |
| OY/22/0007 | Ballycumber Active Travel elements | € | 10,500 |
| OY/22/0008 | Active Travel Office – Staff Costs | € | 271,000 |
| OY/23/0001 | Edenderry – SRTS (R1) Design & Cycle Links | € | 50,000 |
| OY/23/0003 | Banagher SRTS (R1) Design Links | € | 5,500 |
| OY/23/0004 | Edenderry Active Travel Elements | € | 350,000 |
| OY/24/XXXX | Kilcormac Village, Kinnity Road Active Travel Elements | € | 175,000 |
| OY/24/XXXX | Cox’s Bridge, R443-2 Clara Rd, Tullamore | € | 275,000 |
| OY/24/XXXX | Edenderry Harbour & Grand Canal Link | € | 275,000 |
| Total: | € 3,000,000 | ||
| Allocations Through Other NTA Funding Streams | |||
| OY/24/xxxx | Bus Stop Enhancement Programme | € | 500,000 |
| Subtotal: | €500,000 | ||
| Total: | €3,500,000 |
Westmeath
€4m for 21 Active Travel schemes in Westmeath has been announced as part of €290m to local authorities across Ireland for walking and cycling infrastructure in 2024. Among the main Active Travel projects receiving funding in Westmeath is Saunders Bridge, Mullingar, €1,250,000
| Table A: Westmeath County Council | |||
| Active Travel Investment Grants: 2024 Allocations | |||
| Project Code | Project Name | 2024 Allocation | |
| Westmeath County Council | |||
| WH/21/0001 | Mullingar Transport Plan | € | 133,704 |
| WH/21/0002 | Saunders Bridge, Mullingar | € | 1,250,000 |
| WH/21/0004 | Harbour Street Active Travel scheme, Mullingar | € | 115,000 |
| WH/21/0005 | Dublin Road Active Travel scheme, Mullingar | € | 115,000 |
| WH/21/0006 | Mount Street Lower Pedestrian Interventions, Mullingar | € | 100,000 |
| WH/21/0007 | Grange South to Orbital C-Link Active Travel scheme, Mullingar | € | 100,000 |
| WH/21/0008 | National Science Park Junction Improvements, Mullingar | € | 100,000 |
| WH/21/0009 | Sundays Well/Lynn Road – Auburn Road/Millmount Road Pedestrian & Cycling Improvements, Mullingar | € | 100,000 |
| WH/21/0011 | Athlone – Footpath & Cycleway Improvements for Six Strategic Routes | € | 730,000 |
| WH/21/0013 | Moate – Footpath & Cycleway Improvements | € | 40,000 |
| WH/21/0014 | Cycle Parking | € | 20,000 |
| WH/21/0016 | Low Cost Junction Tightening/Pedestrian Crossing Schemes | € | 50,000 |
| WH/21/0019 | Low-Cost Permeability Measures | € | 50,000 |
| WH/22/0001 | Active Travel Office – Staff Costs | € | 350,000 |
| WH/22/0002 | Delvin Active Travel scheme | € | 5,000 |
| WH/23/0001 | SRTS (R1) – St Joseph’s Secondary School, Rochfortbridge | € | 25,000 |
| WH/23/0002 | Ardmore Road Active Travel scheme, Mullingar Phase 2 | € | 80,000 |
| WH/23/0003 | SRTS (R1) – Scoil Chroí Naofa, Rochfortbridge | € | 25,000 |
| WH/23/0004 | SRTS (R2) – Athlone Community College | € | 5,000 |
| WH/23/0005 | SRTS (R2) – Scoil an Chlochair, Kilbeggan | € | 25,000 |
| WH/23/0006 | Kilbeggan R446 Infrastructure to facilitate National & Secondary Schools | € | 581,296 |
| Total: | € 4,000,000 | ||
| Allocations Through Other NTA Funding Streams | |||
| WH/24/xxxx | Bus Stop Enhancement Programme | € | 500,000 |
| Subtotal: | €500,000 | ||
| Total: | €4,500,000 |
For more information on Active Travel allocations check the National Transport Authority
