Pathfinder Programme

The Pathfinder Programme forms a key part of the implementation of the National Sustainable Mobility Policy, which sets out the government’s plan to meet Ireland’s requirement to achieve a 50% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions by 2030 in the transport sector. One of the first tasks of the Leadership Group established to oversee and drive implementation of the Policy was to agree a programme of “pathfinder” projects at local level.

On 17 October 2022, Minister for Transport Eamon Ryan launched the Pathfinder Programme of 35 exemplar transport projects to be delivered by local authorities and agencies around the country within the next 3 years.

The projects were those selected following Minister Ryan’s call to local authorities throughout the to submit their most innovative, transformative plans for public transport, walking and cycling in their areas – the projects that could make the greatest difference to people living in their counties.

The result is a broad variety of projects ranging from national game-changing proposals like making College Green in Dublin car-free or locating a brand-new integrated public and active travel hub, with a new bridge across the Suir River in Waterford City, to smaller, creative and equally effective projects like a Bus-it-2-school project in Co. Meath or a pilot programme in Co. Leitrim to integrate local link with a hackney and community ebike scheme.

The Pathfinder Programme is focused on reducing carbon emissions in the transport sector, by enabling the shift to cleaner transport choices. The Pathfinder Programme will bring increased momentum to the delivery of projects at a local level, providing templates for replication and scaling up elsewhere and with a strong emphasis on experimental and innovative approaches.

A full list of the 35 Pathfinder Programme projects for 2022-2025 under the National Sustainable Mobility Policy is available below.

Pathfinder Programme of projects 2022-2025 under the National Sustainable Mobility Policy

National Impact

1. CycleConnects

2. Inter-Urban Demonstrator (National Link Cork-Waterford)

3. Smarter Travel Award/Mark

Cycle Network/Corridor Proposals

4. Wexford Cycle Network

5. Longford Cycle Network

6. Rural Cycleway Rapid Deployment – Navan to Trim

7. Dundalk Regional Road Cycleway

8. Mullingar Cycle Corridor with links to Dublin-Galway Greenway

9. Wicklow Active Travel Links

10. Five Cities Demonstrator: Waterford Cycle backbone

11. Five Cities Demonstrator: East Cork Sustainability Corridor

Public Transport

12. Moyross Train Station

13. Waterford North Quays

14. Athlone Bus Service Electrification

15. Dingle Integrated Community-Based Sustainable Mobility for Rural Ireland

16. Five Cities Demonstrator: Galway Cross-City Link

Active Travel/15 Min Neighbourhoods

17. Five Cities Demonstrator: Dublin Active Travel City

18. Letterkenny – Reallocation of Road Space for Walking and Cycling

19. Lismore Park, Waterford – Improving permeability in a city-centre residential area

20. Clonmel 10 min town

21. Naas Mobility Network Integration

22. Killarney - 10 min town

Servicing Schools/Universities

23. Safe Routes to Schools Programme - Acceleration

24. Rathmullan Rd & Marley’s Lane, Drogheda

25. Hanover to Tyndall AT Route to TU

26. Five Cities Demonstrator: Limerick City university connectivity

Workshops/Research

27. Smart and Sustainable Mobility Training Workshops

28. “The First and Last Green Mile”: Pilot to integrate local link service, hackney and community e-bike scheme

29. Research and pilot to trial carpooling among large employers

30. Sligo Shared eBike Scheme – expansion

31. Workplace Mobility Hubs – Four Dublin Local Authorities

32. Last Mile Delivery

33. Active Travel Corridor – Carraroe, Sligo Town, Atlantic Technological University Sligo Campus

34. Athlone Cycle Corridor, linking TU with Centre

35. BusIt2School – Working with schools and community to encourage use of town bus services instead of cars