Cyclist.ie, the Irish Cycling Advocacy Network, has made a pre-budget submission, asking for 10% of the transport budget to be allocated to cycling.

We estimate that spending on cycling currently amounts to less than 2% of Transport capital spending. This year climate change has moved centre stage with the publication in March of the Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action (JOCCA) final report, the declaration in May of a Climate Emergency, and the publication in June of the government’s Climate Action Plan, all of which recommended that 10% of the Transport Budget should be spent on cycling.

The pre-budget submission calls on the Government to follow its own agreed recommendation and invest a minimum 10% of the capital budget for land transport in Cycling, with immediate effect in Budget 2020.

The submission outlines 10 reasons to invest in cycling:

Transport

• Investing in cycling provides excellent value for money
• Cycling helps reduce congestion
• Cycling is an affordable mobility option for all
• Cycling can boost local economic activity

Environment

• Cycling can help us meet our Climate Change obligations
• Cycle trips don’t generate air or noise pollution
• Interventions to boost cycling can create better public spaces

Health

• Cycling helps more people to get the exercise they need and improves health
• Cycling can improve psychological well-being
• Investing in cycling will improve safety for cyclists and for other road users

Our priority recommendations are:

1. Investing in High Quality Cycling Infrastructure

2. Promoting the investment in, and purchasing of, e-bikes through a national subsidy scheme

3. Setting up and resourcing a National Cycling Office in the Department of Transport, Tourism & Sport

4. Increasing safety and awareness of cyclists through a variety of initiatives as outlined

For more details see the full submission attached.