Cork councillors call for extra funding to maintain greenways and active travel routes  

Cork’s eight cash-strapped municipal district councils cannot afford to maintain greenways and active travel routes at a €1m annual cost.

Cork County Council is to write to Darragh O’ Brien, the transport minister, requesting that the National Transport Authority, in conjunction with Transport Infrastructure Ireland, establish a dedicated, ring-fenced fund for the maintenance of greenways and active travel infrastructure.

This infrastructure would include cycling and pedestrian facilities, with funding allocated to local authorities on a sustainable, multi-annual basis.

A senior council official outlined to councillors maintenance costs for the facilities, following a motion on the issue by Fine Gael councillor Úna McCarthy.

Divisional manager Niall Healy acknowledged the council is facing “a challenge” and said the amount of money needed will only increase in the coming years as more greenways and active travel projects are developed by government agencies.

While the agencies pay for construction, the local authorities pay for the maintenance.

Stretched finances 

Ms McCarthy said that while she “strongly supports” greenways and active travel infrastructure, “we have to be honest about the financial reality facing local authorities”.

“The maintenance costs simply cannot be absorbed in to an already stretched local authority budget.

“Councils are already struggling to fund core services, from road maintenance to housing and community facilities.”

“Adding significant, new, ongoing costs without additional funding places unfair pressure on existing services.”

Ms McCarthy said that if the Government is serious about expanding greenways and active travel, then it must also commit to ring-fenced, multi-annual funding for their long-term maintenance.

“These projects are part of national climate, tourism, and transport policy, so the responsibility for funding their upkeep cannot fall solely on local authorities and local rate payers,” she said.

Meagre budget

Labour councillor Cathal Rasmussen said his Cobh municipal district council covers maintenance of many greenways and active travel routes in Little Island, Glounthaune, and Carrigtwohill, and can’t continue to do so on its meagre budget.

“We’re going to have a real problem with this going forward,” Mr Rasmussen said.

Fianna Fáil councillor Audrey Buckley said around 20,000 people are regularly using the greenway along the former Crosshaven railway line, and there are no public toilets on it.

Fine Gael councillor John Michael Foley said the surfaces need continuous maintenance and vegetation must also be cut back during the summer to ensure ease of access.

Public lighting along greenways also has to be maintained, all of which place a big financial burden on the councils.

Mr Healy added that greenways and active travel routes also have to be gritted during icy weather, which is another cost.

He fully supported Ms McCarthy’s motion to seek ringfenced multi-annual government funding, saying it’s “critical”.