Policy aims to get us out of our cars

A policy aimed at getting people out of their cars and walking, cycling or using public transport is to be implemented in Mullingar and Athlone over the next five years. It is hoped that this shift will tie in with the proposed local bus service for Mullingar.

Speaking at the monthly meeting of Westmeath County Council on Monday week last, director of services, Barry Kehoe, said under the government’s Active Travel programme the council now had the funds to implement this shift.

Mr Kehoe said that the €4.5 million allocated to the council this year would go on preparing and planning schemes for inclusion in the programme next year and the year after. The schemes are to be drawn up by a dedicated implementation team appointed by the council and assisted by consultants.

Mr Kehoe said that a lot of detailed work will have to be done and the council will have to employ a large number of consultants to work with their own staff to carry out the detailed design. He said that areas across the county will benefit, but the emphasis will be on a modal shift in the two larger towns.

The allocation of €4.5m and appointment of a dedicated team were welcomed at last week’s meeting. Members hoped that soon children would be able to walk or cycle to school, the football pitch or the local greenway.

Cllr Tom Farrell said that €72.8 million had been allocated nationally for Active Travel to keep pedestrians and cyclists safe on the roads. Westmeath received €4.5 million and the highest award of €2 million went to the Ardmore Road, Mullingar, for walk and cycle-ways, he observed.

Cllr Farrell went on to say that if the programme is delivered efficiently, it will have a major impact on the community and that through continued investment, the government hoped students in every village, town and city could go to and from school on foot or by bike. He was supported by Cllr Aoife Davitt.

In relation to the Mullingar bus route, Cllr Mick Dollard said he understood a lot of submissions had been made and in the interest of democracy, he urged that the Mullingar councillors be allowed to look at the proposals before any decision was made.

Cllr Denis Leonard hoped the focus would now shift from the Dublins, Limericks and Corks to the Kinnegads, Castlepollards and Ballynacargys. He called for loop ways joining up recreational areas “so that rather than getting into a car and driving to the greenway or the canal, they actually walk it on a safe walkway or cycle it on a safe cycleway”.

“We must make sure that in our rural communities it is safe to walk, it is safe to cycle”.

He suggested that the old N6, the old N4, huge, wide roads that are quiet now because there is a motorway alternative, could be turned into demarcated walk and cycle ways.

Cllr Hazel Smyth called for provision of proper infrastructure to support Active Travel routes, such as lighting and dog bins. She joined Cllr Leonard in calling for joined-up thinking regarding looped walks connecting Active Travel routes and taking account of where schools are and where the Active Travel routes can feed into public transport routes.

Cllr Louise Heavin was hopeful that the design team would be able to find opportunities to link every school with its village, housing estate and GAA pitch by foot and cycle paths. Cllr Frankie Keena said it was important to link communities that are anxious that safety measures be provided for travel to school and work and for pleasure.

Cllr Frank McDermott suggested that the design team should visit Fore where speed ramps are urgently needed.

“I used to cycle to school, on the main Birr Road, but I never let my children do so because it’s too dangerous,” said Cllr John Dolan. He wants the council to prepare a list of potential routes and it could then “go shopping”.

Cllr Paddy Hill was anxious that footpaths in rural towns should be put on a list. “We are short of footpaths in a number of towns and villages in my neck of the woods”, he said, adding that he would like to see funding divided up and see footpaths in places like Castlepollard and Fore considered in the first tranche.

Cllr John Shaw was confident that the appointment of a designated design team to drive the programme would provide the joined up thinking that was needed to connect greenways and beauty spots, and Cllr Andrew Duncan also welcomed the allocation and the appointment of the design team.

Mr Kehoe said: “This programme will be going on for years to come, we hope. It is government policy to invest in Active Travel, to get people out of their cars and on to other modes and this is now being backed up with real investment.” He promised to keep councillors posted.

Regarding footpaths and other such works, Mr Kehoe pointed out that a lot of work could be done under other schemes – “this is not the only show in town”. The in-house implementation team will be managed by a senior engineer in transportation and will be tasked with the development and delivery of high quality walking and cycling infrastructural projects.