Cycling Ireland to Work: Sustainable job creation in the tourism sector through the construction of a National Cycling Network

In the midst of a challenging situation for the tourism sector and the broader economy, Ireland could be presented with the means to cycle its way back to work. One innovative proposal is the establishment of a National Cycle Network (NCN), which would connect major urban centres and open up extensive rural, recreational and commuter routes in Ireland. A NCN could lead to significant job creation in construction and maintenance and kick-start the development of a cycle tourism industry in Ireland. This study will focus on one major route corridor in the proposed NCN: Mullingar (a town of 18,000 inhabitants located in the middle of Ireland) to Galway (a population of 72,000 located on the west coast of Ireland). The study will consider:(i) route selection (ii) design issues and (iii) cost benefit analyses, with the aim of prioritising safety, attractiveness and economic development. The study will lead to guidelines on best practice for the development of a NCN.