Only 28% of Active Travel Budget drawn down as of November
"Drawing down the active travel funds would not only benefit the environment, but also improve the lives of those who are unable to afford or access private transport or who have to use unreliable public transport." — Ruairí Fahy
Limerick City and County Council has come under fire for spending only 28% of its over €24 million active travel budget, with People Before Profit representative Ruairí Fahy for Limerick City North calling for a renewed focus on providing high quality active travel to cut down on carbon emissions.
Fahy highlighted the need to free up the city centre to make free and frequent public transport a possibility, as traffic is leading to unreliability and a lack of confidence in the current bus system. He criticised the council's focus on the ongoing O'Connell Street project, saying that it has been at the expense of quick wins for active travel on the north side and around the county.
"We need to actually get people into the city centre and help tackle the inequality that a lack of good access brings," Fahy said. "Drawing down the active travel funds would not only benefit the environment, but also improve the lives of those who are unable to afford or access private transport or who have to use unreliable public transport. We’ve seen from other projects around the city how quickly protected cycle lanes can be rolled out and that the increased distance from cars has the additional bonus of making footpaths feel safer too."
The council's spending on active travel has come under scrutiny in recent years, with funds from the 2020 July Stimulus intended to improve walking infrastructure being used to remove some pedestrian crossings. Despite the allocated budget for active travel schemes, only a small proportion has been spent, with €17 million left to be drawn down as of November.
Fahy urged the council to prioritise use the budget they have been allocated, saying that it is essential for the long-term sustainability of the city. "We need to move away from a car-centric model and focus on providing high quality, accessible and affordable active travel options," he said. "This will not only reduce carbon emissions, but also improve the overall health and wellbeing of our citizens through tackling one component of our awful air quality."