€10m for Active Travel Schemes in Meath
Funding of €10m has been announced this morning for Active Travel Schemes in Meath with the biggest allocation of over €4m going to the Circular Road to St Martha's Bridge Active Travel scheme in Navan.
It is part of a €360,000m investment in active travel schemes and greenways nationwide announced today by Minister for Transport Darragh O’Brien.
Some €4.428m has been approved for the cycle and walking route along the Dublin Road linking Circular Road with St Martha's Bridge which is currently under construction.
The second largest allocation of €1,030,000 has been approved for the second phase of the Trim Road scheme between the Solstice and Athlumney.
A further €100,000 has been allocated towards phase three between Beechmount and Balreask Manor and €95,000 towards phase four from Balreask Manor to Borallion Junction.
A sum of €1m has been allocated for cycle and pedestrian facilities along the Eastham Road in Bettystown, while €550,000 has been awarded to advance the Newtown, Trim, active travel scheme.
Other notable allocations include €260,000 for the Dunboyne Cycle Network; Flowerhill Pedestrian and Cycle Scheme, Navan € 182,000; Poolboy Bridge to Blackwater Park, Navan €150,000. The Navan 2030 Contract 5 to include Laneways, Fairgreen and Church Hill has been approved for €250,000.
Some €100,000 goes towards the design of the cycle network from the Proudstown Road to the Trim Road and €200,000 for the section from the Fairgreen to Johnstown.
Sums of €50,000 each have been allocated to the Academy Street Pedestrian Enhancement Scheme and towards Trimgate Street Pedestrianisation.
Staff costs for the Active Travel Team of €800,000 are also included.
Several Meath schools are to benefit from funding under the Safe Routes to School Scheme including an allocation of €200,000 for St Stephen's NS in Johnstown which has had well documented issues for several years around safety and traffic congestion.
A sum of €150,000 has been approved for Beaufort College, Navan under the scheme while, Ashbourne Educate Together NS is to receive €25,000. Funding of €20,000 has been approved for Our Lady of Mercy Junior National School, Kells with St Colmcille's Senior National School, also to receive the same amount.
Further grants of €10,000 were approved under the scheme for St Anne's Loreto PS, Navan; Duleek Boys' NS School;Scoil Naomh Seachnall, Dunshaughlin; St Oliver Plunkett's NS, Navan; St Paul's NS, while grants of €5,000 u were awarded to Gilson NS, Oldcastle; Navan Education Together NS; Scoil Naomh Bride, Batterstown and St Ultan's NS, Bohermeen.
Nationally funding of €360m for Active Travel Schemes and Greenways was announced by Minister for Transport Darragh O’Brien, Minister of State with responsibility for International and Road Transport, Logistics, Rail and Ports, Seán Canney and Minister of State with responsibility for Rural Transport Jerry Buttimer. This investment is dedicated to the development of walking and cycling projects that offer safe, sustainable and healthy transport options to communities around the country.
The Active and Sustainable Transport Investment Programme in the National Transport Authority (NTA) was allocated €290 million for the development of walking and cycling infrastructure in villages, towns and cities. This funding will enable almost 1,000 projects of varying scale to progress in 2026.
An additional €8 million is available to fund smaller-scale behavioural change and training programmes. These include CycleRight training in primary schools and the NTA’s Smarter Travel Workplaces and Campuses Programme.
The remaining €62 million has been allocated to deliver Greenway projects across Ireland, including the South Kerry Greenway and the extension of the Ulster Canal Greenway in Monaghan.
It is expected that 200km of walking and cycling infrastructure will be delivered in 2026, in line with the target set out in the Climate Action Plan.
Minister O’Brien said:
“The allocation of €360 million in 2026 for active travel and greenway projects demonstrates the Government’s commitment to expanding sustainable transport options and delivering on the provision of safe and accessible walking and cycling infrastructure in both urban and rural areas. The €290 million invested in the NTA’s Active and Sustainable Transport Investment Programme will assist with the development of key active travel networks in our villages, towns and cities, making walking and cycling a viable option for more of our population. The investment of €62 million in our Greenways network, meanwhile, will help deliver key projects all over the country and is another step towards the development of a National Cycle Network.”
Minister Canney said:
“The continued expansion of our walking and cycling network through Greenway and active travel infrastructure is crucial in offering safe travel options to cyclists and pedestrians. It also contributes to our progress towards Vision Zero, our road safety strategy which sets out to achieve zero road fatalities or serious injuries by 2050. I particularly welcome the NTA’s planned investment this year in assessing locations of interest in relation to road safety, with a view to increasing collision prevention measures in such locations to protect our more vulnerable road users.”
Minister Buttimer said: “I particularly welcome today’s funding announcement for Greenway projects which have been a valued addition to rural Ireland in recent years through showcasing our beautiful landscape, bringing visitors to overlooked areas and helping small local businesses to thrive. Greenways also provide an outdoor recreational facility that all members of the community can enjoy. I look forward to the delivery of new and expanded routes in the coming years.”
NTA Chief Executive Anne Shaw said: “The funding commitment announced today will allow the NTA to support every local authority across the country as they continue to deliver safer connections for pedestrians and cyclists, improved public spaces to enjoy, and an overall environment where more and more of us can choose active and sustainable travel for our everyday journeys.”
The full lists of schemes are as follows:
GDA Cycle Network Design within Meath towns, Scheme 1 - Proudstown Road to Trim Road - Navan, € 100,000
GDA Cycle Network Design within Meath towns, Scheme 2 -Fairgreen to Johnstown - Navan, €200,000
Navan Town Centre Traffic Management € 70,000
Dunboyne Cycle Network € 260,000
Cycle parking € 20,000
Navan: Circular Rd to Martha's Bridge € 4,428,800
Navan: Poolboy Bridge to Blackwater Park € 150,000
Flowerhill Pedestrian and Cycle Scheme Navan € 182,000
Academy Street Pedestrian Enhancement Scheme € 50,000
Trimgate Street Pedestrianisation € 50,000
Bettystown Eastham Road Cycle Facilities € 1,000,000
Staff costs Active Travel Team € 800,000
Newtown Road, Trim walking facilities € 550,000
Castle Street Ashbourne € 50,000
R161 Navan to Trim Cycle Scheme € 5,000
SRTS (R1) - St Stephens NS € 200,000
Tara Na Ri Junction Upgrade € 50,000
Navan 2030 Contract 5: Laneways, Fairgreen and Church Hill € 250,000
Johnstown Village Cycle Scheme € 24,200
SRTS (R2) - Our Lady of Mercy Junior National School €20,000
SRTS (R2) - St Colmcille's Senior National School € 20,000
SRTS (R2) - Beaufort College € 150,000
SRTS (R2) - Ashbourne Educate Together National School € 25,000
Trim Road Phase 2 Solstice to Athlumney € 1,030,000
Trim Road Phase 3 Beechmount to Balreask Manor €100,000
Trim Road Phase 4 Balreask Manor to Borallion Junction € 95,000
MISC Pedestrian Crossings € 50,000
SRTS (R3) - St Anne's Loreto Primary School € 10,000
SRTS (R3) - Duleek Boys' National School €10,000
SRTS (R3) - Scoil Naomh Seachnall €10,000
SRTS (R3) - St Oliver Plunkett's National School €10,000
SRTS (R3) - St Paul's National School €10,000
SRTS (R4) - Gilson NS, Oldcastle € 5,000
SRTS (R4) - Navan Educate Together NS € 5,000
SRTS (R4) - Scoil Naomh Bride, Batterstown € 5,000
SRTS (R4) - St Ultan's NS, Neillstown € 5,000