Eamon Ryan orders councils to spend unclaimed €129m fund for bike lanes and walkways

Transport Minister Eamon Ryan has personally contacted the chief executives of all 31 local authorities in recent weeks and told them to identify a priority list of so-called ‘pathfinder projects’ — big-impact bike and walking schemes that could be delivered within two years. He wants responses by mid-September. File picture: Leah Farrell/RollingNews.ie

Transport Minister Eamon Ryan has given council bosses three weeks to come up with 'quick-win' bike and walking infrastructure after it emerged half of the money for such projects last year went unspent.

Mr Ryan has instructed local authorities to fast-track spending on the projects. There was €309m allocated for the schemes in 2021 but only just under €180m was claimed by councils.