Goal 6: Improve Access and Communications Infrastructure

This goal relates specifically to Economic Action Area 4: Economic components of the community/local development role, and Economic Action Area 6: Specific action to promote increased economic activity in line with regional priorities. It builds upon the amenity and environmental value of the City and county. It proposes that the County Council engages positively with the Societal Change Pillar of EU Horizon 2020, and key aspects will be delivered in close cooperation with Carlow-Kilkenny Energy Agency.

Indicative Actions

• Co. Kilkenny has an opportunity to develop its ‘green’ credentials by encouraging the development and implementation of innovative, integrated public transport modes, moving significantly beyond the existing infrastructure;
   
• Encourage the development of integrated models of City Access, Parking, and Park-and-Walk to relieve congestion and improve the environment and attractiveness of the compact City core; and
   
• Encourage the development of an enhanced Broadband Infrastructure, particularly in the rural areas, by ensuring that improvement initiatives are successful, and that innovative local solutions are enabled.

Background Profile

Smarter Travel: A Sustainable Transport Future 2009-2020 notes that delivering a sustainable transport system is an important dimension of the climate change agenda.

The strategy concludes that to achieve a sustainable transport system, individual lifestyles will have to change and develop a range of solutions which deal with conflicting goals, including economic growth, reduced emissions, less use of motorised transport and better accessibility.  Achieving the goal will lead to a better quality of life, not just in terms of economic competitiveness, greater social inclusion and a healthier population, but also through an improved urban landscape, which will be enhanced through traffic calming and other measures.

Kilkenny City and Environs Development Plan 2014-2020 introduced the ‘ten minute city’ concept, based on the concept of access all local facilities with a 10-minute cycle or walk from home.  Kilkenny City is approximately 3km wide and 4.5km long.  Few journeys undertaken within the city are more than 2.5 km in length; and assuming an average cycle speed of 15 km per hour, that equates to 10 minutes.  Similarly, the city’s commercial centre is approximately 0.5 km wide by 0.5 km long, it is therefore possible to walk its extent, assuming a walk speed of 4km per hour, in approximately 10 minutes.

The promotion of walking, cycling, public transport and other more sustainable forms of transport as an alternative to the private car, together with the development of the necessary infrastructure and promotion of the initiatives will be supported.

Broadband

High-quality reliable broadband is a prerequisite of business.  Such a service is not widely available to the rural consumer at recognised industry standard speeds and at an affordable price.  Whilst a number of initiatives are in place to improve coverage, it is likely that some areas, particularly in rural locations, will still be unable to access commercial offerings.