Kilkenny could become a leader among regional towns in the provision of sustainable transport according to Cllr Malcolm Noonan.
He was speaking at last Monday’s meeting of Kilkenny Borough Council where details of a funding proposal for measures around better urban mobility were outlined to members by director of services John Mulholland.
The proposal was put into the Department of Transport under the Smarter Travel scheme and is to complement the work of cities and towns who participate in European Mobility Week and Car Free Day in September. Cllr Noonan said that the Draft Mobility Plan, coupled with our membership of the Aalborg Sustainable Towns and Cities Network, could ideally position the city as a model of best practice in public transport, park and ride provision, cycle lanes, electric vehicle facilities and safe routes to school.
“I am encouraged to see the local authority making such a bold submission and to seek €200,000 of the €500,000 available funding. It’s a big ask but reflective of my own view that the city is ideally positioned to become an example to other towns of similar size. I had proposed many of these measures, as a means of reducing car dependency, during the oral hearing into the Central Access Scheme,” he said.
He said that the recently introduced on street parking charges would only work effectively if commuters had a number of viable alternatives open to them.
“A three or four shuttle bus service could service the environs of the city, the larger employers and the Watershed sports facility. It is essential that we be forward-thinking and develop plans for transportation that are in line with emerging policy, policy that has shifted significantly since the Central Access Scheme was first proposed in 1978 as the Inner Relief Road. The modal shift required demands full public support and the local authorities’ resolve to free up the city to make it a healthier and better place to live’ he said.
