Following a recent enquiry about Belfast on the Move and what further steps are being taken to promote cycling in Belfast we obtained the following information: The DRD Minister launched the Active Travel Strategy (ATS) earlier this year. The ATS adopts a more sustainable approach to the way the general public in N. Ireland travels and aims to put cycling and walking at the heart of local transport arrangements encouraging a healthier, less stressful, and increasingly lower cost alternative to the private car for many shorter daily journeys. A key objective of the ATS is to increase the average distances walked and cycled and to increase the percentage of local trips that are undertaken by cycle in line with our UK counterparts by 2020 and facilitating walking and cycling for the journey to and from school. DRD through its Travelwise NI initiative promotes cycling as a sustainable mode of travel to school and work through its campaigns including Bike Week, Bike To School Day and its support for the HMRC Cycle To Work Scheme which enables employers to provide cycles for employees for the work journey. A key DRD commitment in the Programme for Government includes: "by 2015 create the conditions to facilitate at least 36% of primary school pupils and 22% of secondary school pupils to walk or cycle as their main mode of transport" The Department has also provided £700,000 of funding to Belfast City Council to put in place the infrastructure for a public bike hire scheme in Belfast. The scheme which should be in place by late 2015 will see the installation of 30 docking stations holding 300 bicycles across the city of Belfast. This Active Travel Initiative similar to others being taken forward in Craigavon, Londonderry and Strabane is designed to encourage the public and visitors to make the shift out of cars and coaches and encourage cycling as healthier option for local travel and sightseeing. The Departments proposals for transport in the Belfast Metropolitan Area are contained within the Belfast Metropolitan Transport Plan (BMTP). The Plan aims to provide for and encourage a greater use of public transport, walking and cycling. The full document can be viewed at: drdni.gov.uk/bmtp. The walking and cycling proposals are contained within Chapter 4 and the specific proposals for Belfast are contained within Chapter 8. During the next couple of years in Belfast, DRD focus is to develop, as far as our resources and finance will allow the broad walking and cycling network as envisaged within the objectives of the BMTP.”
Posted on: Tue, 09 Jul 2013 08:54:17 +0000
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