Green Limerick: More active travel to come into cycle

TRANSPORT Infrastructure Ireland and the Department of Transport have launched a new national cycle network (NCN) plan that aims to link cities and towns of over 5,000 people with a safe, connected and inviting cycle network.

The NCN plan proposes a cycle network of approximately 3,500km, connecting more than 200 settlements and 2.8 million people nationally. The NCN will also link to destinations such as transport hubs, centres of education, employment, leisure, and tourist destinations. The network will facilitate increased cycling and walking amongst leisure users, tourists and commuters alike.

Green Party TD for Limerick City, Brian Leddin commented: “We have a plan to build a network of safe, segregated cycleways and greenways such that you can arrive into Shannon Airport and set off in all directions on their cycling holiday for a week or two…

“In the future the cycle tourism will be a major part of Shannon Airport’s business and Limerick is going to be a very important part of this network. Quite a few routes are converging on Limerick city and in the years ahead it's going to become a major hub for cycle tourism.

“Great progress is being made with many projects in the planning process already, like linking Shannon Airport into the city; linking the city with the existing Limerick Greenway at Rathkeale, which will take cycle tours out towards Listowel and Kerry; linking Limerick with east Clare through Scarriff; and other projects towards Nenagh and Thurles, all the way down towards the existing Suir Blueway and Cahir and Clonmel, which brings the tourists all the way to Waterford. Another project is linking Limerick city with Charleville and Mallow which will take cycle tours on to Cork,” Mr Leddin added.