Wicklow Sinn Féin TD John Brady has said that the Government has once again failed the people of Wicklow by not providing the necessary funding to deliver the badly needed Ashford–Rathnew Park and Ride facility, resulting in the timeframe for delivery being pushed back considerably.
In a response received by Deputy Brady from the National Transport Authority (NTA), he was informed that due to insufficient funding, works will not commence as planned in 2026, and that construction may begin in 2027 at the earliest, again entirely dependent on funding being made available.
Deputy Brady said:
“The continued failure to deliver the Ashford–Rathnew Park and Ride facility is utterly unacceptable and represents yet another broken promise to the people of Wicklow.
“This project has been talked about for years. In 2023, the NTA stated that it would be delivered by 2025, but that timeline quickly slipped by. The project then went through a lengthy and thorough public consultation process in 2024 and was formally approved by the full Wicklow County Council in March 2025. At that meeting, councillors and the public were clearly told that this much-needed facility, providing 210 car parking spaces, would be delivered and operational by Q4 of 2026.
“I have now received confirmation from the NTA that no work will commence in 2026 due to a lack of funding, and that the earliest possible start date is sometime in 2027, again entirely dependent on funding being made available. This is totally unsatisfactory.
“The N11 is at full capacity. Every single morning, thousands of commuters are trapped in worsening traffic jams, losing valuable time with their families and facing mounting frustration. The failure to invest properly in our public transport system in Wicklow has had direct and damaging consequences, chronic tailbacks on the N11, increasing car dependency, and families being effectively punished through punitive carbon taxes simply because they have no viable alternative.
“The continued underfunding of Wicklow’s rail and bus networks is totally unacceptable. Once again, Wicklow is being forgotten about. The Government must urgently address this to alleviate the daily hardships families are enduring, the rising costs they are forced to absorb, and the negative environmental impact of thousands of vehicles sitting in stationary traffic every single day.
We constantly hear government rhetoric about tackling congestion, reducing car dependency and delivering sustainable transport, yet when it comes to following through with the most basic, proven infrastructure solutions, the funding is simply not there.
“A park and ride facility is not a luxury. It is a critical piece of transport infrastructure for one of the fastest-growing commuter corridors in the state.
“The public were consulted. The council approved the project. Timelines were set. And once again, the Government has failed to deliver.
“If this Government was serious about public transport, congestion and climate commitments, this facility and along with the proposed Park and Ride in Kilpedder would already be under construction.
The people of Wicklow deserve better. This project must be properly funded and delivered as a matter of urgency. Continued delays are simply not good enough.” Ends