Active Travel has great benefits for our planet and great benefits for you and the community you live in.
What is Active Travel?
Active Travel is defined as travelling for a purpose using your own energy. This usually involves walking, cycling or wheeling (non-motorised scooters, skateboards, wheelchairs, mobility aids). Most commonly, active travel trips are made up of short local journeys such as walking to work, cycling to school or wheeling to the shop.
What are the benefits of Active Travel?
We, and the place we live in, can all benefit from Active Travel. It is an enjoyable way to travel and brings with it many benefits –
Physical & Mental Health Improvements
Active travel benefits your health and wellbeing through increased physical activity. It gives you a better sense of connection with your locality – you’ll see much more when walking or cycling!
Quicker Journeys
For your short local journeys it can be quicker to cycle as opposed to taking the car. Sitting in traffic is time wasted, whereas your bike will get you through the traffic more efficiently.
Climate Change
Active travel reduces car dependency and therefore, reduces the emission of pollutants to the atmosphere. Our urban areas will benefit from cleaner air, so it’s a win-win for us and our environment.
Safer Roads
A greater volume of pedestrians and cyclists on our roads and streets increases driver awareness, thus promoting better driver behaviour.
Saves You Money
You can make savings by using your bike or walking. You will use less fuel and energy for your car, and the Bike to Work Scheme also provides tax relief for people who cycle to work.
Transport Equality
More footpaths and cycle tracks provide greater transport equality for those who may not own or have access to a car.
Accessibility Improvements
Ongoing improvements to our footpath and cycle track networks are making our towns more accessible for disabled or older citizens.
Safe Routes to School
The SRTS Programme is a partnership between An Taisce, the NTA and Local Authorities. The programme aims to remove traffic congestion at the front of schools for our pupils to access the school safely. The programme is delivering safer routes to school for your children to safely walk, cycle or wheel to school.
Further information can be found here.
More Social Interaction: We can neglect our social health when we are isolated in our cars. Active Travel encourages more social interaction because we see more of each other on our journeys.
Types of Active Travel Schemes
Active Travel projects are funded by the National Transport Authority and details of funding allocations can be found here. The types of projects that will be delivered by Laois County Council include:
- Safe Routes to School Programme (collaboration with Green-Schools)
- Improved/segregated cycle paths
- Improved crossings for walking and cycling
- Upgraded / new crossings
- Permeability measures to support improved access within and between local communities
- Continued development of our urban space towards prioritising sustainable travel
NTA Funding Allocation
In 2024 Laois County Council received an allocation of €3m for the continued development of active travel in the county. Details of the allocation can be found here.
Where is Active Travel happening?
Laois County Council, in conjunction with the National Transport Authority, has completed numerous active travel projects across County Laois.
Here’s what’s been happening….
Triogue Way, Portlaoise
Phase 1 saw the completion of 400m of new shared pedestrian/cycle track from Lismard roundabout to the People’s Park.
Safe Routes to School – Scoil Mhuire, Abbeyleix
The scheme saw the delivery of a number of interventions on the Ballyroan Road, Abbeyleix in support of the SRTS Programme for Scoil Mhuire. These included:
- Creation of a School Zone at the front of school through the introduction of pencil bollard and coloured line markings
- 2 new raised zebra crossings
- Raised table
- 2nr speed ramps
- Junction tightening works at 3 locations
- Side road crossing improvements at 5nr locations
Safe Routes to School – Scoil Phadraig Naofa, Mountmellick
The scheme saw the delivery of a number of interventions on the Ballyroan Road, Abbeyleix in support of the SRTS Programme for Scoil Phadraig Naofa. These included:
- Creation of a School Zone at the front of school through the introduction of pencil bollard and coloured line markings
- 3 new raised zebra crossings
- 1nr speed ramp
- Junction tightening works at 3 locations
- Side road crossing improvements at 5nr locations
- Footpath widening
Safe Routes to School – Maryborough NS, Portlaoise
The SRTS Programme for Maryborough NS saw the delivery of new raised zebra crossings at Lismard and O’Dowling roundabouts on the Portlaoise Southern Circular Road. In total 6nr crossings were constructed where none previously existed.
Rathleague footpath, Portlaoise
The scheme comprised the construction of a new 3m wide footpath with public lighting to connect the existing network on the N80 Stradbally Road to Portlaoise GAA Club, over a distance of 550m.
The Rock footpath
This scheme comprised the construction of a new footpath and public lighting linking The Rock NS to the existing footpath network in Mountmellick and ran for a distance of 1km.
Ballyroan footpath
A new footpath with public lighting was constructed from the end of the existing network at Scoil Eoin Phóil ll Naofa to the GAA Club over a distance of 450m.
Ballinakill footpath
A new footpath with public lighting has provided safe linkage form Church Street to Ballinakill outdoor swimming pool amenity.
Rathdowney footpath
A new footpath constructed on the Errill Road has facilitated improved access to Scoil Bhríde NS.
Zebra crossings, Rathdowney
Two new raised zebra crossings were constructed on the Johnstown Road and Conoboro Road. Both schemes improved access to the town centre and schools.
Pedestrian crossing at Summerhill Lane, Portlaoise
New zebra crossing at the junction of Summerhill Lane and Portlaoise Southern Circular Road to facilitate improved access to primary schools.
Footpath improvements at Edenderry Road, Portarlington
Works completed here involved the construction of new sections of footpath at locations where gaps in the network existed, therefore, ensuring continuity of pedestrian infrastructure for residents in the area.
Footpath at Kylebeg, Stradbally
The scheme comprised of the construction of 300m of new footpath with public lighting and pelican crossing.
Portlaoise bicycle parking
The scheme saw the installation of bespoke bicycle parking stands at locations throughout Portlaoise town centre.
Clonaslee footpath
This scheme comprised the construction of a new footpath which extended the existing network by 350m and improved access to the village centre and the nearby Clonaslee College and adjacent Community Centre.
Footpath at Shanboe, Borris in Ossory
Works completed here involved the construction of new sections of footpath at locations where gaps in the network existed, therefore, ensuring continuity of pedestrian infrastructure for residents in the area.
Junction tightening works
Junction tightening works with raised pedestrian crossings took place at various locations including:
- Beechfield
- Liogard
- Ballymorris Manor
- Rossmore View
- Millbrook Manor
- Rosenallis
Local Transport Plans
A Local Transport Plan (LTP) assesses an area's transport needs and challenges, and sets out different ways in which these challenges will be addressed.
It is a short to medium-term plan that sets out a town or city’s transport strategy for a period of usually 5-7 years, and beyond.
The strategic aim of a LTP is to provide for the planning and delivery of transport infrastructure and services over the period of the County Development Plan and Local Area Plans.
A LTP will be required to examine all transport modes and how they interact both in the town centre and throughout its environs, specifically including linkages with public transport modes such as rail and bus services.
Laois County Council has developed LTPs for the towns of Portlaoise, Portarlington and Mountmellick.
A LTP has been prepared for Carlow-Graiguecullen by Carlow County Council.
All LTPs will support the development of Local Area Plans for these towns. Refer to the Planning Section for further details.
NTA CycleConnects
CycleConnects aims to improve sustainable travel by providing the potential for more trips on a safe, accessible and convenient cycling network, connecting more people to more places.
More details can be found here.
TII National Cycle Network
The National Cycle Network is a planned core cycle network of 3,500km that will criss-cross the country, connecting more than 200 villages, towns and cities.
More details can be found here.
Active Travel Publications
The following are a range of active travel related publications covering design standards and other best practice information: