Laois gets €3.5m for walking and wheeling

MORE than €3.5m has been granted to Laois for cycling routes, walkways and other green travel projects.

The county will receive a total of €3m in ‘Active Travel and Greenways’ funding, announced today by the Department of Transport as part of a €360m national package.

A further €500,000 will go towards bus stop enhancement across the county, while just €50,000 has been granted to examine the potential for a greenway from Abbeyleix to Portlaoise.

Portarlington is the biggest winner, with €525,000 going to an active travel scheme on the town’s busy Station and Canal Roads.

Portlaoise comes next, with €500,000 earmarked for Phase 2 of the Triogue Way walking and cycling route.

Three primary schools in The Heath, Rath and Wolfhill will receive €200,000 each under the Safe Routes to School (SRS) scheme, while a further €55,000 will go to St Paul's NS in Mountmellick.

The town of Mountmellick will also get €200,000 for an active travel permeability scheme.

Grants of €125,000 each have been awarded to Mountrath for an active travel scheme at New Line Road and to Rathdowney, for a junction-tightening scheme at Knockiel Drive and O'Daly Terrace.

Cullohill will get €25,000 for junction tightening and a long-awaited pedestrian crossing, while Harpurs Lane in Portlaoise will receive €15,000 for an active travel scheme and roundabout upgrade.

Funding of €500,000 for bus stops in the county promises to provide more stops with better shelters, uniform bus poles and better passenger amenities.

The grant under the national ‘Bus Stop Enhancement Programme’ was particularly welcomed by Laois TD Seán Fleming, who said in a statement: ‘As we are all aware, the town link and local link buses are a great addition to our villages and towns and are utilised by so many people, helping them connect town to town and within our towns.

‘It modernises public transport with consistent and accessible bus stops, whilst making better connectivity for our communities.’