Cycling budget pumped up to €114 million for 2020 – Lombard

Fine Gael Senator Tim Lombard has confirmed that next year’s cycling budget has been pumped up to €114 million.

Senator Lombard, who sits on the Oireachtas Climate Committee, has called on the Greens to pull the brakes on spiralling rumours from spokes-people that the budget for biking is increasing by just €9 million.

Senator Lombard said: “This freewheeling opposition commentary is completely untrue.

“What’s actually happened is that €9m has been allocated from the carbon tax measures to be used in tandem with increased allocations being made available under both the greenways and the two urban cycling funding programmes.

“So next year funding under those 3 programmes will total around €114million as compared to this year’s initial allocation of around €61million.

“That’s a significant increase and will support the development of safe and segregated infrastructure for those who enjoy cycling and walking as a leisure activity and those who use either as part of their daily commute.”

Senator Lombard continued: “Even these significant increases do not capture all expenditure dedicated to active travel, it also benefits from BusConnects, the roads programmes, the Bike-to-Work Scheme, the Urban Regeneration and Development Fund, the Rural Regeneration and Development Fund and the Outdoor Recreation Infrastructure Scheme.

“In line with the commitments in both Project Ireland 2040 and the Climate Action Plan 2019, Budget 2020 has significantly increased the allocations available to support walking and cycling.

“This increases, together with those made available for public transport, reflect the Government’s ambition to increase the modal share of active travel and help shift people away from the private car and toward more sustainable options.”

ENDS