Blackpool ‘left out’ of Active Travel Scheme funding

Blackpool on Cork city’s northside has received “nothing” out of the €34.8m announced for the city’s Active Travel Scheme projects this week, despite the village needing it more than other areas of Cork city, according to a campaigner for urban renewal.

On Wednesday, the Government announced €290m in funding for cycling and walking projects, with €35m going to Cork city.

The northwest wards of Fair Hill, Farranree, Knocknaheeny and the Shandon area, will only receive about €300,000, while the north east wards are due to receive 30% of the total sum.

“Nothing at all for Blackpool,” said Jude Sherry, director of the Cork-based global design agency Anois.

“It’s not just Blackpool. It’s the whole area, and the whole neighbourhood around it as well.”

The North West ward has a significantly smaller number of active travel projects in the pipeline. Seven projects were listed among the pipeline of active projects for the ward. In contrast, the North East ward received the largest amount of funding in the city, with 35% of all project funding going to 18 projects in the ward.

“Blackpool is being left out again, despite it being an up-and-coming area with lots of new apartment blocks in the pipeline,” said Ms Sherry.

“The amount of apartments going up in Blackpool and the amount of planning applications approved for Blackpool is phenomenal. There must be thousands of new homes coming.”

The units will have to have proper infrastructure, “but the roads up are very dangerous to cycle”, she said.

“You can’t cycle on the North Link Rd, it’s just way too fast,” said Ms Sherry.

“The inner roads are too busy; there is too much traffic on them. So there is really no safe way to cycle around this area.”

The next tranche of funding should prioritise Blackpool, which is possibly the fastest-growing area of the city, she said.

“It has no playground, it has no green spaces, it has no public amenities in comparison to other areas of the city.

“Even with the link road, there is still a lot of through traffic going through Blackpool village. A reduction in through traffic could make it quiet enough so that you don’t need separated cycle lanes, possibly. There are a lot of trucks going through.”

Green Party councillor for Cork City North East Oliver Moran said: “The northside is coming from behind on walking and cycling investment. It’s a matter of priorities and it’s about making sure BusConnects and quality walking and cycle infrastructure is delivered in Blackpool and other places all across the northside.”