Councillors bemoan ‘bizarre’ withdrawal of Active Travel funding

THE withdrawal of significant Active Travel funding for Ballyhaunis has been branded as ‘an absolute disgrace’.

Councillors from the Claremorris-Swinford Municipal District area have voiced discontent with the Active Travel scheme, which funds the development of and improvement of cycling and walking infrastructure.

Cllr Paul Lawless said it was ‘utterly bizarre’ to withdraw €220,000 in funding to make the Dublin Road approach to the local railway bridge on Ballyhaunis safer for pedestrians.

Approximately 1,200 Active Travel projects were allocated funding in 2023. However, funding for some Mayo projects was subsequently withdrawn.

Cllr Lawless said there was ‘a lot of frustration’ in Ballyhaunis following the withdrawal of their most recent Active Travel allocation.

“It’s utterly bizarre, how we are announcing [Active Travel projects], to a great deal of fanfare, and then the money disappears,” said Cllr Lawless.

In response to a motion from Cllr Lawless at the monthly meeting of Claremorris-Swinford Municipal District, Conrad Harley, Senior Executive Engineer with Mayo County Council, wrote that Active Travel projects ‘will only be considered for funding where they are recommended resultant from a Plan e.g. Local Transport Plan, Safe Routes to School Outline Delivery Plan, Active Travel Plan etc’.

Mayo County Council have sought guidance from the National Transport Authority concerning the development and collation of Active Travel Plans.

Ballyhaunis-based councillor Alma Gallagher said the town was ‘very unique’ as 16 percent of its workforce walked to work, compared to 9 percent nationally.

“When we think about Active Travel, we think it’s something very leisurely, but actually it’s absolutely essential for a town like Ballyhaunis,” she said.

“You have a lot of factories et cetera, so we certainly do need established Active Travel routes and allocated funding. The de-commitment of that €220,000 was an absolute disgrace.”

Cllr Patsy O’Brien bemoaned the lack of Active Travel funding for small towns and villages in Mayo.

The Independent councillor said he was ‘sick and tired of announcements’ of projects in Mayo that ‘hasn’t a shovel put to them’.

He also branded the 20 percent match funding requirement for local authorities as ‘absolutely ludicrous’ and said taxpayers were ‘getting nothing’ for their Local Property Tax (LPT).

“Until announcements come with full funding from government, they shouldn’t be announced at all,” Cllr O’Brien stated.