Routes identified for enhanced Active Travel

Design consultants have identified routes in Mullingar and Athlone for enhanced Active Travel facilities for pedestrians and cyclists.

The consultants were appointed by Westmeath County Council and funded by the Department of Transport through the National Transport Authority’s Active Travel Programme.

These enhanced facilities will generally be provided within the existing road footprint and will allow school-goers, commuters and visitors to travel safely and sustainably to work, school, leisure and retail destinations in each town.

The council appointed Atkins and services will include concept design and option development, preliminary design, and planning processes.

The combined length of the proposed routes is approximately nine kilometres in Mullingar and 15 kilometres in Athlone, including advance Pathfinder Projects in both towns.

The Pathfinder Projects, as approved by the Dept of Transport, are to be exemplar transport projects with innovative and transformative improvements for walking and cycling.

Cathaoirleach of Westmeath County Council, Cllr Liam McDaniel, welcomed the signing of the contract, stating that it demonstrates the council’s ongoing commitment to the development of Active Travel infrastructure.

Council chief executive, Pat Gallagher, also welcomed the appointment of Atkins and said the projects will provide commuters with alternative travel options and help reduce car dependency in accordance with the National Sustainable Mobility Policy and the Climate Action Plan.

Ursula O’Higgins, technical director, Atkins Ireland, said: “Active Travel schemes connect communities in safe, convenient, and environmentally sustainable ways, and we are pleased to support Westmeath County Council with the design of these schemes. Our appointment builds on our existing work with local authorities across the country, the National Transport Authority and Transport infrastructure Ireland on the delivery of approximately 150km of urban active travel routes and 200km of interurban greenways in Ireland.”