€139K Active Travel Investment allocated across region

Towns and villages have received allocations of funds under the Active Travel Investment Grant. This was announced at a meeting of Cork County Council last week and, under the scheme, Fermoy Municipal District (MD) has been allocated €139,000 to fund Active Travel measures in the district, including a design study for Kent Bridge in Fermoy to provide better facilities for walkers and cyclists.

Also within this study, for which the MD has been allocated €60,000, the County Council will look at the possibility of a new footpath and cycleway over the Blackwater linking the R666 and Pike Road to the proposed new town centre, or the Mill Island carpark. This scheme, however, is only to look at the zoning of the project, but could prove an exciting new development for the town.

Other projects in Fermoy that have been successfully allocated money include two projects on Ashe Quay. The first is the provision of cycle parking near the tourist office and public toilets with an allocation of €5,000, and the second, a new signalised junction to help pedestrians cross the bridge, quay-to-quay. For this, €100,000 has been marked. RATHCORMAC FUNDING

Other projects within the district are new footpaths and improvised walkways around the old school green and access to the new school in Rathcormac, for which €45,000 has been assigned. Also in the village, new cycle parking at the community hall and at the Rathcormac Inn carpark has been allocated €10,000.

€5,000 apiece has been allocated to Mitchelstown and Kildorrery for cycle parking. In Mitchelstown, the parking bays are to go by the public toilets and in Kildorrery, adjacent to The Thatch and Thyme restaurant.

WATERGRASSHILL & CARRIGNAVAR WORKS

In the Cobh Municipal District, Watergrasshill will be allocated €40,000 to provide a footpath, public lighting and a crossing for access to the school and village centre. The works are envisioned for the entrance opposite the national school, linking to the crossing at Priory Court.

Also in Watergrasshill, funds have been set aside for public lighting for the footpath between the village and the GAA pitch. The footpath is not yet completed, but was allocated €150,000 last March. For the lighting, €15,000 is put aside.

Carrignavar is to get €40,000 assigned to it for improvements to pedestrian crossings and another €35,000 for footpath improvements.

The purpose of the Active Travel Investment Grant is to improve transport options as an alternative to travelling by car.