Skerries Cycling Initiative 

PRESS RELEASE   January 20^th 2010

 FINGAL COUNTY COUNCIL PLAN FOR MAJOR CYCLING PROJECT IN SKERRIES

At a meeting of the Transportation Strategic Policy Committee on January 19^th 2010, Fingal County Council (FCC) revealed that it was close to completing negotiations with the Department of Transport (DoT) for funding under the Smarter Travel Projects Fund  which targets cycling development throughout Ireland.  The award is approximately three quarters of a million euro and FCC has agreement in principle from the DoT for this funding, subject to signing contracts and fulfilling certain legalities. 

FCC won the award for a pilot project in Skerries which basically comprises two elements.  First, the plan will seek to implement the recommendations in a consultants’ report,  Malahide & Skerries Cycling Study (Sustrans/Colinbuchanan/FCC 2009) for the development of a cycling network in Skerries town, which would facilitate citizens seeking rapid North-South/East-West access by bicycle to schools, shops, the Townpark  and the train station.  This report was completed with the cooperation of the Skerries Cycling Initiative (SCI), including fieldwork.  The second element of FCC’s plan, details of which remain to be worked out,  envisages a pro-cycling and pro-walking upgrade of the R127 Skerries-Balbriggan road, via Barnageeragh, with a return route via Balrothery, Ardgillan (where there is now a 3km cycle route open), Ardla, Milverton and back to Skerries via Togher Hill.   It is the desire of FCC that this route will not only provide a benefit to recreational cyclists and walkers, but will also encourage commuters between Balbriggan and Skerries to switch to the most sustainable transport mode in existence, namely the bicycle.  It is expected that the full implementation of the plan will take 3 years.

Welcoming this major development for cycling in Skerries, Ray Ryan, Chairperson of the SCI, said: “The Skerries Cycling Initiative wish to congratulate Fingal County Council for the vision and determination in winning this award for the Skerries area.  The plan incorporates the SCI’s primary goals for which we have been lobbying for over two years.  We have pledged our help to the council in the design of these pro-cycling/walking improvements and FCC has accepted this offer.  The award must be seen in the context of the publication last year of the National Cycling Policy Framework (NCPF) by the DoT.  This excellent policy has won the support of cycling campaigns across the country and one of its recommendations is the development of so-called ‘Demonstration Towns’ as pilot pro-cycling projects.  This is what we hope Skerries will become.    As pointed out in the NCPF, investment in cycling produces a staggering return of approximately 4:1 for society for a variety of reasons, including health, reduction of traffic congestion and absenteeism, reduced CO2 production, reduced expenditure on cars and best of all, reduced death and injury on our roads. This is a great day for  Skerries.”

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