As Minister for Transport, I have responsibility for policy and overall funding in relation to Active Travel. Funding is administered through the National Transport Authority (NTA), who, in partnership with local authorities, have responsibility for the selection and development of specific projects in each local authority area.
A key focus of the wider Active Travel Programme going forward will be the development of networks to encourage use of walking and cycling as habitual transport modes. It is the view of the NTA and the Department of Transport that funding should be focused on delivering these networks and priority should be given to such projects.
The Clifden Railway Pedestrian and Cycle Bridge was initially funded under the Urban Regeneration Development Fund (URDF) and the NTA had agreed to support its development as a co-funder. URDF allocated €5.5m to the project with a requirement for a completion before the end of 2030. This URDF allocation does not allow for cost increases due to inflationary pressures. The estimated cost of the preferred bridge option is €14.418 million (ex. VAT) in 2023 prices, resulting in an NTA funding requirement of approximately €10 million.
The NTA is of the opinion that, whilst having merit as a standalone project, the Clifden Railway Pedestrian and Cycle Bridge does not represent a priority project for achieving the outcomes of the Active Travel Programme.
Dedicating investment to the construction of this Bridge in lieu of other priority projects could put at risk the delivery of the core network across the wider city over the coming years as it would take up a disproportionate amount of the available funding and have prioritised the allocation of funding to other active travel projects in Galway which they believe will deliver greater impact in terms of modal shift.
It should be noted that the NTA’s Active and Sustainable Travel Investment Programme has already provided funding for the construction of Droichead an Dóchais (Salmon Weir Bridge) across the River Corrib, less than half a kilometre south of the proposed site of the Clifden Railway Pedestrian and Cycle Bridge, as well as upgrades on the Wolfe Tone Bridge further south.
Given the ramping up of activities over the last few years in the Active Travel area, the number of projects being progressed now exceeds the level of funding made available to the NTA. Accordingly, the NTA is unable to fully fund all proposed projects and has to prioritise certain projects over others in order to remain within budget. While a project may not be allocated funding in a particular year, it may be funded in subsequent years.
