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Infrastructure Minister John O’Dowd has launched a public consultation on an Active Travel Delivery Plan with their priorities for Newry mapped out.
Essentially the plan consists of three threads: priority routes (0-10 years), signature routes (no time frame mentioned) and future routes (10+ years).
Newry's priority route is marked as a route from the A25 Camlough Road to Needham Bridge via Jennings Park. A signature project is named as 'Newry Inner City Greenway' but no further information is given apart from Infrastructure Minister John O'Dowd stating "I have just commissioned the design of six signature Active Travel projects across the North and will be sharing the details on these in the coming weeks and months as they are developed". Ideally this would refer to a linkage running between Newry Canal and the Clanrye River taking walkers and cyclists from the Carlingford Lough Greenway to Newry Canal Towpath, a route that is already mentioned in the 2020 Newry, Mourne and Down Active Travel Masterplan.
Several future routes (10+) years are marked out for Newry including a route travelling out the Hilltown Road and a route from the Mourne Country roundabout into the city centre.
Other towns in the district are also in the plan including Warrenpoint, Kilkeel, Newcastle, Downpatrick and Ballynahinch. Despite plans for the Narrow Water Bridge to be opened for 2027 the plan in the consultation for an active travel route linking the bridge to Warrenpoint town centre is marked as a future, 10+ years route and not as a priority.
The Active Travel Delivery Plan would see the Department's priority routes delivering over 200km of active travel infrastructure within our urban and rural settlements over the next 10 years. It focuses on three key connections types for each area, connections to local schools; connections to public transport; and connections to town centres.
Speaking at the launch event at Craigavon Civic and Conference Centre, Minister O’Dowd said: “This Plan showcases the Department’s ambitions for increasing active travel options in 42 settlements across the North; delivering a bold transformation for all of our communities. It will complement the existing Belfast Cycling Network Delivery Plan and the Strategic Plan for Greenways, providing our teams and local councils with a firm basis for the prioritisation and delivery of active travel over the next 10 years.
“Research has shown that over one third of our journeys are less than two miles long and two thirds are less than five miles. These shorter journeys offer an opportunity to choose a different mode of travel to the car and make small changes to our lifestyle, regardless of age or ability, by choosing to walk, wheel, or cycle.
“We want to create high quality and safe active travel infrastructure that will make a positive difference to your lives, so we need to understand how it could help you to choose active travel to make those shorter journeys; whether it be travelling to work or school, maybe to the local shops, to visit family and friends, or just for leisure and exercise.
Mr O'Dowd continued: “I am fully committed to improving active travel opportunities and separate to these proposed schemes today I am pleased to announce that I have just commissioned the design of six signature Active Travel projects across the North and will be sharing the details on these in the coming weeks and months as they are developed.
“By launching this consultation today I am calling on the public to have their say on the future development of infrastructure projects in their local area. It is important that our neighbourhoods, towns and villages are designed to meet the needs of those who live there.
“People are at the heart of this plan because active travel is for everyone. Your journey matters, and by making little changes, and thinking about how we could travel differently, we can all make a big difference.”
Mr O'Dowd also added "I recognise the many benefits active travel can bring for individuals and for society. Being more physically active improves our physical health and mental wellbeing. And when it comes to issues like improving air quality, reducing the impact of traffic congestion, and tackling climate change, we can all play our part.
"Whether it be to work or school, to the local shops and other amenities, to visit family and friends, or just for leisure and exercise, active travel can help to make our lives better and to make the places we live and visit, feel safer and more welcoming for everyone."
The consultation, which contains a number of interactive maps for each area, is available on the Department’s website at www.infrastructure-ni.gov.uk and will be open until 28 February 2025. Be sure to have your say.
