Minister of State and TD for Kildare South Martin Heydon has confirmed almost €10m in funding has been allocated to Kildare to support active travel across the county.
A total of 30 projects will receive funding including six Safe Route to School programmes.
Minister Heydon said: “Active travel schemes bring significant benefits to local areas helping to connect communities and improve people’s quality of life. By investing in walkways and cycleways we create safe corridors for people to visit friends and family and get to local shops, schools, and amenities.
“The Programme for Government commits to furthering investment in active travel. Last year all of the money allocated to local authorities was drawn down and I am confident Kildare County Council will do the same this year.
“We have some excellent examples of active travel schemes here in Kildare and I look forward to seeing them develop further along with expanding infrastructure to more parts of the county.”
In total the National Transport Authority (NTA) has allocated a total of €290m to Ireland’s local authorities to invest in walking and cycling infrastructure in 2023.
Approximately 1,200 Active Travel projects will be funded including the development of segregated cycle lanes and widened footpaths, new walking and cycling bridges, and new pedestrian crossings.
| Active Travel Investment Grants for Kildare County Council | |
| Project name | 2023 allocation |
| Maynooth North-South Corridor | € 90,000 |
| Royal Canal Greenway (Maynooth – FCC Boundary) | € 3,000,000 |
| Naas to Kill Active Travel Scheme | € 10,000 |
| Green Lane Active Travel Scheme | € 240,000 |
| Naas to Sallins Greenway | € 5,000 |
| Sallins Village Active Travel Scheme | € 140,000 |
| Celbridge Road Active Travel Scheme | € 10,000 |
| Kilcock Road Active Travel Scheme | € 20,000 |
| Craddockstown Active Travel Scheme | € 160,000 |
| Kilcullen Road Active Travel Scheme | € 2,675,000 |
| Celbridge Active Travel Bridge | € 500,000 |
| Active Travel Office – Staff Costs | € 700,000 |
| R417 Athy Active Travel Scheme | € 60,000 |
| Monread Road Active Travel Scheme | € 90,000 |
| Dublin Road Active Travel Scheme | € 150,000 |
| Cycle Parking | € 110,000 |
| Leixlip to Maynooth Interim Cycle Scheme | € 10,000 |
| Monasterevin Town Active Travel Scheme | € 15,000 |
| Naas to Newbridge Inter-Urban Active Travel Scheme | € 100,000 |
| Newbridge Road Active Travel Scheme | € 100,000 |
| R445/R416 Newbridge Active Travel Scheme | € 100,000 |
| Cycle Safety Improvements at Existing Signalised Junctions | € 800,000 |
| Blessington Road Active Travel Scheme | € 500,000 |
| Meadowbrook Active Travel Scheme | € 110,000 |
| R418/R408 Maynooth Active Travel Scheme | € 10,000 |
| SRTS Round 1 – Straffan National School | € 50,000 |
| SRTS Round 1 – St. Brigid’s Primary School, Kildare Town | € 50,000 |
| SRTS Round 1 – Holy Child National School, Ballycane | € 50,000 |
| SRTS Round 2 – Patrician Primary/St. Conleth’s, Newbridge |
€ 20,000 |
| SRTS Round 2 – Scoil Bhríde/Scoil Phádraig, Clane | € 20,000 |
| SRTS Round 2 – Scoil Mochua, Celbridge | € 20,000 |
| Poplar Square, Naas – Active Travel Measures | € 50,000 |
| Total: €9,965,000 | |