€27m for city’s travel infrastructure
Cork City Council has received over €27 million in funding as part of national funding for Combined Active Travel and Greenways.
The funding is parter of a broader €360 million national package announced this week by Minister for Transport Darragh O’Brien.
Almost €20 million was allocated to Cork County Council.
The majority of the funding nationally - €290 million – will be allocated to the Active and Sustainable Transport Investment Programme under the National Transport Authority (NTA).
The funding will be used to develop walking and cycling infrastructure in villages, towns, and cities.
In Cork city, the Lehanaghmore Road Improvement Scheme is set to benefit, with €5.2 million allocated. Last year, the Cork Independent reported that the project has been under construction since August 2025 and is set to be completed on schedule in the first quarter of 2027.
Another €2 million is being made available for the Marina Promenade Active Travel Scheme. The Mahon Area Street Renewal Scheme has also been awarded €5.6 million.
An additional €8 million is being made available nationally to fund “smaller-scale behavioural change and training programmes”. These include CycleRight training in primary schools – which provides practical cycle safety and skills training - and the NTA’s Smarter Travel Workplaces and Campuses Programme.
The remaining €62 million is being allocated to fund Greenway projects.
In Cork City, €800,000 has been allocated for the Glanmire to Riverstown Greenway, while in Cork county, the Mahon to Passage West project has been awarded €250,000.
Minister of State with responsibility for Rural Transport Jerry Buttimer said that greenway projects have been a “valued addition to rural Ireland in recent years”.
“They showcase our beautiful landscape, bring visitors to overlooked areas, and help local businesses to thrive.
“Greenways also provide an outdoor recreational facility that all members of the community can enjoy,” he said.
NTA Chief Executive Anne Shaw said that the funding 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 journey”.