Funding for the construction of cycle lanes and other “active travel” infrastructure across Dublin has been slashed by almost €16 million for this year, Dublin City Council has said.
The Active Travel Programme Office, in place since 2022, has constructed more than 35km of cycleways across the city and suburbs and has plans for 80km more using National Transport Authority (NTA) funding.
However, in a briefing to councillors on Wednesday, programme director Andy Walsh said “substantially lower” funding had been allocated to the council by the NTA for this year, which would impact on the delivery of the network.
Concerns have been raised since November’s general election that the departure of the Green Party from government could result in funding for cycling infrastructure being scaled back and a greater focus going on road projects.
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However, the Coalition’s programme for government pledges to “continue investment in footpaths and cycle lanes to encourage active travel”.
In 2023, the NTA provided almost €59 million to the council, with the figure falling to just under €55 million last year. However, Mr Walsh said less than €39 million has been allocated for cycling and walking projects this year.
He said the active travel network “connects people across the city and encourages sustainable travel, while also helping to reduce transport-related carbon emissions”.
Arising from the funding cut, a 2025-2028 programme for delivery has been prepared which would see “at least 10 projects” going to tender and “some of them proceeding to construction” this year.
“It is planned that design work will have been completed at least 50 per cent of the network by end 2028,” he said, adding that the “pace of construction will depend on availability of funding”.
The completion of the full network would take “another seven to eight years after” 2028, he said.
An independent analysis carried out in 2023 put the estimated cost of completing the overall network of 214km at between €1.6 billion and €2.9 billion, he added.
“In general it will take three to five years to get a complex scheme through the design process up to a point where it is ready to go to construction. For highly complex projects this process can take longer.”
Mr Walsh assured councillors there was “no lack of enthusiasm” in developing the network and he would return to the NTA during the year to see if money could be reallocated from other local authorities that were not using their share.
The NTA has disputed the council figures.
“Dublin City Council has been allocated €45 million for active travel projects in 2025,” a spokesman said. A further €11.6 million has been allocated for “other traffic management funding,” he said, “taking it to a total of €56.6 million.”
He said the council had “significant projects at construction stage” last year, including the Clontarf to city centre and Royal Canal Greenway projects, “which led to a higher funding requirement”.
