€17.5m allocated for sustainable transport and accessibility projects- Donohoe  

28th January, 2015

€15.3m for 58 projects in Cork, Galway, Limerick and Waterford & €2.1m to enhance accessibility for wheelchair and other users

 

Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport, Paschal Donohoe TD, today (Tuesday) announced the allocation of €17.5 million for sustainable transport projects in our regional cities and for public transport accessibility projects. Among the projects identified are road upgrades and improvements, support for bike share schemes, the provision of bus and cycle parking and enhanced pedestrian safety measures.

 

Total funding of €17.5 million, administrated by the National Transport Authority (NTA), comprising €15.35 million for sustainable projects in the regional cities of Cork, Galway, Limerick and Waterford and €2.15 million for accessibility projects, includes improvements to bus and rail systems for those with hearing or visual impairments and wheelchair users.

 

Provision is also being made for Irish Rail to make improvements to Kent Station in Cork and for Bus Éireann to proceed with the design and planning of the refurbishment of Colbert Station in Limerick.

 

Minister Donohoe said; ‘As the economy develops, more people are going back to work. How they get there and the modes of transport they choose in their everyday lives is largely dependent on the ease with which they can be accessed and how they facilitate people in going about their daily business. The provisions of €17.5 million through the NTA for 58 projects across Cork, Galway, Limerick and Waterford will allow sustainable projects in these counties to be progressed, and enhancements to be made to public transport services. Despite the fact that we are still somewhat constrained in the availability of funds, it is vital that we continue to prioritise investment of this nature so that public and sustainable transport remain attractive options that encourage people out of their cars and onto buses, pedestrian and cycle routes’.

 

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Further information:

In relation to the Regional Cities’ and Accessibility Programme, the funding allocation will see the advancement of 58 projects across the cities of Cork, Limerick, Galway and Waterford.  Some of these projects include:

  • The development of a public plaza area fronting Colbert Railway Station in Limerick, representing a flagship project for the city and the first phase of the redevelopment of the overall train station;
  • Construction of a new entrance to Kent Station in Cork, providing a greater level of connectivity with the city centre;
  • Construction of a new cycle linkage between Kent Station and Cork City Centre incorporating road resurfacing and junction safety improvements;
  • The completion of the Carrigaline Green Route for bus services in Cork;
  • The implementation of the next phase of Variable Message and Parking Guidance Signage in Galway City;
  • The development of a cycle scheme from Waterford Institute of Technology to the City Centre, in Waterford.
  • This provision of wheelchair accessibility to a further five railway stations on the Irish Rail network, with the five stations to be selected at the commencement of the project.
  • The provision of assistance to mobility impaired users of public transport, particularly visually impaired users, to access and use public transport services, through the Travel Assistance Scheme at Dublin Bus.

 

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