The National Transport Authority (NTA) is to allocate total funding of €10,680,000 to Cork County Council under this year’s Active Travel Investment Programme for the development of walking, cycling and safe to school routes in Cork East, according to local Fine Gael TD, David Stanton.

The NTA has confirmed that under its 2023 allocation, funding has been granted to enable the further progression of works on the remaining phases of the pedestrian and cycle route project linking Dunkettle to Carrigtwohill and the beginning of an active travel route from Carrigtwohill to Midleton. Significant funding has also been granted to progress works on four phases of the Ballinacurra to Midleton pedestrian and cycle route while allocations have also been granted to further develop active travel routes in Cobh and Youghal.

In addition, funding has been confirmed to enable works to increase the safety of travel routes to schools in Cobh and Midleton as part of the Safe Routes to School Programme (SRTS) with initial allocations granted to schools in Fermoy and Mallow to determine such routes:

Project – Funding Amount

  • Dunkettle to Carrigtwohill (old N25) – Phase 1 and 2 (Active Travel Pathfinder) – €280,000
  • Dunkettle to Carrigtwohill (old N25) – Phase 3: Dunkettle to Fitzpatricks, Glounthaune (Active Travel Pathfinder) – €3,400,000
  • Dunkettle to Carrigtwohill (old N25) – Phase 4 (Active Travel Pathfinder) – €1,500,000
  • Carrigtwohill to Midleton – Phase 1 (Active Travel Pathfinder) – €690,000
  • Carrigtwohill to Midleton – Phase 2 (Active Travel Pathfinder) – €80,000
  • Ballinacurra to Midleton Pedestrian and Cycle Route – Phase 1: Ballyannan Wood Car Park to Broderick Street, Midleton – €3,400,000
  • Ballinacurra to Midleton Pedestrian and Cycle Route – Phase 2-4: – €690,000
  • Cobh Ferry to Train Station Active Travel Route – €60,000
  • Youghal – Summerfield Cross to Pobailscoil Na Tríonóide – Active Travel Scheme – €50,000
  • Bunscroil Rinn an Chabhlaigh – SRTS – R1 – €100,000
  • Colaiste Muire Cobh – SRTS – R1 – €100,000
  • Scoil Iosaef Naofa – SRTS – R1 – €100,000
  • St Mary’s National School – SRTS – R1 – €115,000
  • Midleton CBS Primary – SRTS – R1 – €100,000
  • Loreto Secondary School – SRTS – R2 – €5,000
  • St. Colman’s College – SRTS – R2 – €5,000
  • St Patrick’s BNS – SRTS – R2 – €5,000

Total – €10,680,000

Following confirmation of this year’s allocations, David Stanton said: “Considerable funding has been granted to Cork East projects by the NTA again this year which will allow for the completion of works on the Dunkettle to Carrigtwohill route and the development of a walking and cycling route which continues onwards from Carrigtwohill to Midleton.

“Such travel routes have become very popular with those looking to exercise as well as commute to work. The latest NTA allocations will see a big expansion of such amenities in the East Cork area in the future with similar travel routes being progressed in Ballinacurra, Cobh and Youghal.

“The NTA has also committed funding to provide safer routes to school for students with grant allocations ranging in value being provided to Cork County Council to assess works and to enable their completion on access routes to a number of primary and secondary schools across the constituency”, concluded Deputy Stanton.