Funding of €6.4m for Westmeath and Roscommon 'active travel' works
Over €6 million in State funding has been awarded for a range of 'active travel' projects in Westmeath and Roscommon, which will generally involve new cycling infrastructure and footpath upgrades around schools, towns and villages.
Some 24 projects in Westmeath are to benefit from a total allocation of €3.9 million, while 21 projects in Roscommon were funded to the tune of €2.5 million.
The money distributed to Westmeath County Council included a €300,000 grant for footpath and cycleway improvements at "six strategic routes" in Athlone, while €270,000 was earmarked for footpath and cycleway improvements in Moate.
A further €30,000 will go towards the preparation of the Athlone Transport Plan, and €10,000 is to be spent at Athlone Community College under the 'safe routes to school' programme which aims to help increase the number of students who either cycle or walk to school.
In South Roscommon, Lecarrow village will be the site of footpath works costing €150,000, while €200,000 will go towards active travel schemes in the Bealnamulla area.
Two schools in the Athlone area of Roscommon - St Joseph's NS in Summerhill and the nearby Coláiste Chiaráin secondary school - were awarded €75,000 and €60,000 respectively in 'safe routes to school' funding.
A further €75,000 was allocated to Roscommon County Council under the broad heading of "South Roscommon villages active travel measures".
The grant aid for Westmeath and Roscommon was announced on Wednesday as part of a National Transport Authority (NTA) allocation of €290m to help Ireland's local authorities improve walking and cycling infrastructure in 2023.
Commenting on the funding, Transport Minister Eamon Ryan said: "Last year, all of the money allocated was drawn down by local authorities and I am confident that the same will happen this year.
"This will mean that communities across the country will be better connected with safe and people-friendly corridors to visit friends, go to the shops, or cycle or walk to school, sports training or other activities.
"People very often think that Greenways, cycle-ways or walkways are primarily tourism amenities," Minister Ryan added.
"Of course, they serve that purpose really well, but first and foremost they are about local people and improving local life, connecting suburbs, local villages or townlands that have often become disconnected from one another because of busy and dangerous roads."