Former Bike Shop Owner—Soon To Be Ireland’s Prime Minister—Secures €1-Million-A-Day-For-5-Years Boost For Walking And Cycling

A former bike shop owner has secured a substantial financial settlement for active travel in the Republic of Ireland. For the next five years, cycling and walking schemes—including protected cycling networks and expanded sidewalks—will receive €360 million annually.

The settlement was secured by Eamon Ryan, leader of Ireland’s Green Party, a former co-owner of the long-established Belfield Bike Shop in Dublin, and founding chairman of the city’s cycling advocacy campaign.

Before the Irish general election in February, Ryan pledged that, if elected, he would spend 20% of the country’s transport budget on cycling and walking. He has now come good on that promise, with the coalition government’s bigger parties—Fine Fáil and Fine Gael—agreeing to his demands in order to pass a draft coalition agreement, announced June 15.

Asked in January about his plans for transport cycling, he told Ireland’s Mail on Sunday: “Why not be ambitious? Dublin, Cork, Waterford and Limerick should be like Copenhagen and Amsterdam.”

“Even cities famous for the car,” he added, “are pulling up highways and putting up Metros. Paris has completely changed in terms of how they do transport, so let’s go like Paris.”

Having arrived for the interview on his bike, he went on to promise that “we have to spend about 10% of the transport budget on cycling, and 10% on walking.”

“We often forget about walking,” he pointed out, “but it’s equally important.”

Ryan was saying back in January what many politicians have said during the pandemic: that active transport is the future for many cities.

“Unless you resource it,” he said before lockdown, “it won’t happen.”

The Green Party, or Comhaontas Glás, secured 12 seats in February’s election, giving it piggy-in-the-middle leverage with Fine Fáil and Fine Gael, which won 37 and 35 seats, respectively.

With no party in full control, Ryan could trigger his green demands. The draft agreement—A Programme for Government – Our Shared Future—said all three parties are “committed to a fundamental change in the nature of transport in Ireland.”

In a radical shake-up for transport in the Republic, “each local authority will be immediately mandated to carry out an assessment of their road network to see where space can be reallocated for pedestrians and cyclists,” says the coalition document.

“Necessary improvements in climate impact, quality of life, air quality and physical and mental health demand that every effort is made by the Government to make active travel and public transport better and more accessible,” continues the agreement, billed as a “step change” for active modes of transport in the EU country.

“Cycling and electric cycling have enormous potential to facilitate a high proportion of daily trips if we provide an environment which protects and prioritizes this mode of transport,” says the greens-inspired agreement.

Promising to “deliver a five-year, multi-annual funding program linked with a specific target of new separated cycling and walking infrastructure which will be delivered or under construction by end 2024” the agreement “will enable a step-change in the number of people taking daily journeys by foot and bicycle which will help improve quality of life and air quality.”

Local authorities will be required to develop “cycle network plans which will be implemented with the help of a suitably qualified Cycling Officer with clear powers and role.”

Low- and no-traffic “school streets” will help Ireland “dramatically increase the number of children walking and cycling to primary and secondary school.”

There will also be a national review of road traffic policy and legislation to prioritize walking and cycling.

“This commitment,” continues the agreement, “will enable us to achieve the huge ambition of developing an integrated national network of greenways to be used by commuters, leisure cyclists and tourists. We will continue the coordinated approach between central government, local authorities and agencies to deliver on this ambition.”

The role of Taoiseach (Prime Minister) will be rotated between the three main parties. Fine Fáil’s Micheal Martin will take on the role initially with Fine Gael’s Leo Varadkar expected to be next. When it’s Ryan’s turn he will become the first former bike shop owner to become the leader of a European nation.