AQO 1667/22-27 Oral question to the Minister for Infrastructure
To ask the Minister for Infrastructure to outline what steps her Department is taking to improve active travel in North Down.
Asked by Connie Egan MLA on 20 February 2025
- Answered
- Oral
- Answered in the Chamber
- Tabled
- 20 February 2025
- Answer due by
- 4 March 2025
- Answered
- 4 March 202512 days after tabling
- Department
- Department for Infrastructure
- Priority question
- No
Answer
Answered in the Assembly Chamber on 4 March 2025. Extract from the Official Report (Hansard), including any supplementary questions:
Ms Kimmins
My Department has developed a draft active travel delivery plan including draft network maps for our larger towns and cities such as Bangor, Donaghadee and Holywood in the North Down area. Public consultation on the draft plan closed on 28 February, and I thank everyone who took the time to respond. My officials will now review the submissions received and make any necessary amendments to the plan before submitting it to me for final approval. When it is complete, the plan will complement the Belfast cycling network delivery plan to provide a firm basis for prioritising the delivery of improved active travel infrastructure in our towns and cities, providing enhanced sustainable connectivity for the next 10 years and beyond.
My Department also works closely with councils to support them in the delivery of their greenway and active travel priorities. In the Ards and North Down Borough Council area, funding of £6·4 million has been committed by my Department to deliver greenways connecting Comber and Bangor to Newtownards. I recently attended an event marking the commencement of the construction for the Newtownards to Bangor greenway. My officials continue to work with their counterparts in council to finalise the design for the Newtownards to Comber greenway.
Mr Speaker
We move now to topical questions.