Cycleway projects halted due to Luas cross city costs
Work on a number of Dublin cycleways has stopped because of the cost of the Luas cross city project.
The Dodder Greenway, the Grand Canal Greenway and Phase Four of the Royal Canal Greenway have all been put on hold.
Also suspended are the Clonskeagh to City scheme, the Drury St cycle parking project and the Heuston to Chapelizod Greenway.
In a statement, the National Transport Authority which provides funding for the projects said that the resources of Dublin City Council need to be “re-focussed” because of the demands of Luas cross city and other traffic management schemes.
“As the various projects linked to Luas cross city are progressed, resources will then be released to reactivate the other projects.
“Luas cross city is due to be completed by the end of next year,” a spokesperson said.
However, local councillors have criticised the decisions including Cllr Dermot Lacey who represents an area covered by the Dodder Greenway.
“It is hugely regrettable that the NTA – a totally unaccountable body to the people of Dublin has unilaterally decided that work on the proposed Dodder Greenway should be deferred.”
He said the route which would have run all the way from Ringsend to Tallaght is an essential piece of infrastructure and claimed it had already been delayed by the NTA’s “over engineered approach”.
The Dodder Greenway and other cycleways were part of a €30 million funding package for cycling facilities in the greater Dublin area announced by the government two years ago.
