The public’s view on a proposed 3,500-kilometre cycle network set to criss-cross Ireland is being sought.
Transport Infrastructure Ireland (TII) today launched plans for the National Cycle Network (NCN), a planned core cycle network that will connect more than 200 villages, towns and cities in the coming years.
The network will include cycling links to transport hubs, education centres, employment centres, leisure and tourist destinations in the hopes of making it “easier and safer” to travel by bike, reducing the country’s reliance on cars.
Minister for Transport Eamon Ryan said the proposed network focuses on “everyday travel and use - connecting village to village, town to village, city to town. It’s another step in connecting our communities, to enable and encourage as many of us as possible to choose the bike when travelling.”
“The network will connect into other sustainable transport modes, enabling further onward travel using the bus, train and by walking,” he added.
TII has worked to develop the draft NCN for public consultation since last autumn. The map incorporates many existing and planned greenways as well as a range of proposed new cycle routes, as part of proposed national cycle corridors.
It is anticipated that the final plan, which will take into account public feedback and ideas, will go for ministerial approval in the third quarter of this year.
“Thereafter, the NCN will move quickly into implementation phase,” the Department of Transport said. It is envisaged that most of the network will be delivered by local authorities over the coming years.
Public consultation on the new NCN is open from Wednesday, May 4th to Tuesday, June 7th. The NCN map, background information, as well as details on how to have your say, can be found online at: https://ncn.consultation.ai/.
