As Minister for Transport, I have responsibility for policy and overall funding in relation to Active Travel. As the Deputy is aware, 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.
Firstly, it is important to highlight the ruling made by the High Court which determined that the lack of a Local Area Plan does not preclude the development and delivery of infrastructure projects in a certain area, when they have been provided for in an overarching plan or strategy. I am also given to understand that the NTA further clarified in response to a previous question posed by the Deputy that “Under planning legislation, local authorities’ development plans and local area plans are required to be consistent with the NTA’s Transport Strategy. While it is always preferable that all hierarchies of development planning are in place, it is not the position that there is an absence of a statutory framework governing transport provision in any location in Fingal where a local area plan has not yet been developed. Accordingly, where projects align with the NTA’s Transport Strategy and statutory objectives, the NTA will continue to support those projects where it considers that there is a sufficient basis to do so”.
The principal functions of the NTA under the Dublin Transport Authority Act 2008 include promoting increased recourse to cycling and walking as a means of transport, as well as securing the provision of public transport infrastructure, and effective management of traffic and transport demand. The NTA may also do all such things as arise out of, or are consequential on, or are necessary, or expedient for, the performance of its functions or are ancillary thereto. The delivery of Active Travel infrastructure and transport demand fall firmly within the remit of the NTA. The NTA is also statutorily enabled to make grants, out of moneys provided by the Oireachtas, to public transport authorities including local authorities as road authorities, to secure public transport infrastructure. That public transport infrastructure includes, but is not restricted to, cycleways, cycle and pedestrian facilities and interchange facilities. Further, the NTA is enabled by statute to allocate moneys and make payments to road authorities in relation to traffic and demand management measures.
In light of the above, I fully support the active travel projects in Malahide and Skerries, as they form part of the nationwide network that we are developing to help achieve our ambitions of more sustainable transport and greater modal shift.
I am referring the Deputy’s question to the NTA in relation to some specific queries posed. Please contact my private office if a response is not received within 10 working days.
