Date: 22 Jan 2021
Ministers to fund up to 248 new jobs in local authorities to expand walking and cycling facilities.
The Minister for Transport Eamon Ryan T.D. and Minister of State Hildegarde Naughton T.D. have today announced funding for up to 248 new jobs in local authorities to expand walking and cycling facilities all over the country.
The Programme for Government has already committed that €1.8bn will be spent on walking and cycling over the lifetime of the Government, and this initiative will ensure that the expertise will be available to improve infrastructure and increase participation by making facilities safer and more accessible.
As part of the plan developed by the National Transport Authority, up to 218 additional staff will be employed across the local authorities with an additional 30 proposed for Regional Cycling Design Offices. The new staff will be dedicated to delivering and promoting active travel in Ireland and will work across design, communication/community liaison and construction oversight functions. The new staff will support the delivery of almost 1,000 kilometres of improved walking and cycling infrastructure by 2025.
Minister Ryan has asked the County and City Management Association (CCMA) to co-ordinate among local authorities in relation to the plan as developed by the National Transport Authority.
The National Transport Authority has worked with local authorities in developing a revised delivery structure for active travel infrastructure and promotion. This revised structure will cover all local authorities, both rural and urban, and will be augmented by increased dedicated support through the network of Regional Design Offices across the country.
Details in relation to, and implementation of, the revised structure are being discussed by local authorities under the auspices of the CCMA and recruitment of the additional resources will be a matter for the individual local authorities in line with their normal procedures, with costs proposed to be attributed to the Department of Transport’s sustainable mobility programme.
It is expected that up to 218 staff could ultimately be assigned to the new active travel teams across all local authorities with a further 30 additional staff available through the Regional Design Offices.