What's all this 'Smarter Travel' business, asks Deputy Ciara Conway

Posted on February 01, 2012 at 05:52 PM

So what's all this 'Smarter Travel' business? by Deputy Ciara Conway

It's great to have some good news to share - and today we learn that Dungarvan in Co. Waterford is to be given 7.2 million euro in funding over the next five years for Smarter Travel Projects.

Dungarvan, which is where I live in West Waterford, is the small sized town that has been chosen as a 'Demonstration Area' : the other places being Limerick City and Westport .

Basically it's a scheme that's been designed with the aim of getting people walking or cycling , as opposed to driving.

The hope is that people in Dungarvan , like those in Westport and Limerick , will benefit from a health point of view, as well as in environmental terms.

Dungarvan (or Fungarvan, as some people call it) has a population of around 17,000 people. It's a gorgeous location overlooking Dungarvan Bay , and at the foot of the Comeragh Mountains, about halfway between Cork at Waterford City.

Already the town has benefitted from extra cycle paths , which has already meant more people are hopping on their bikes that little bit more (I've even been known to cycle my daughter to school on non-sitting days).

Last Summer, the Taoiseach himself came to West Waterford for the Sean Kelly cycle race - a great event which encouraged lots of locals to get their rothar out on the road .

Now the plan is to spend a bit of money encouraging more people to do just that over the next 5 years.

The money will be spent on improved cycle ways, including safe routes to school and key business and workplace zones, secure bicycle parking in the town centre, improved pedestrianisation, lowered speed limits in residential and town centre areas, school and workplace travel planning, e-working and car clubs.

The money is also welcome because it'll be used to create employment locally.

I would hope that in time this change will encourage more tourists to the town.

So grab your helmet , or your walking shoes, and we hope to see you in Dungarvan soon!"

You can check out the Smarter Travel website and also the press release issued by Minister Kelly on the initiative.

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