Indefinite pause in work westwards on cycleway from Athlone

The development of the Dublin to Galway Greenway has suffered a significant setback in the last week.

The project west of Athlone has been “paused”, the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport, Paschal Donohoe TD, has announced.

On Friday, the minister gave the go-ahead for work to proceed on the “shovel-ready” stretch from Maynooth to Mullingar.

But, he said, he had decided to pause further development on the Galway and Roscommon section, “to allow time for all involved to reflect on the issues that have been raised locally about the project”.

No date was given for when the “pause” should end.

The news is a blow to plans to open up an entirely segregated route for cyclists and walkers from one coast to the other, and the Dublin to Galway was designated as the pilot project in the National Cycle Network.

The stretch of greenway between Dublin and Athlone is along the existing towpath of the Royal Canal as far as Mullingar, and then on to Athlone via a disused rail track. It was then to go, via private farmland, peatlands and forestry, on to Ballinasloe, Loughrea and then Galway city.

However, just 27 per cent of the 194 landowners between Galway City and Ballinasloe were prepared to accommodate a route on their lands.

Foremost among the landowners’ concerns was the potential impact on farming (farm severance and loss of land, disruption to farming operations, loss of farm income and increased insurance premiums, animal disease control).

This was closely followed by concerns about security (crime, trespass, nuisance).  Minister Donohoe said that consideration will now be given to finding a new route west from Athlone.

“The goal of an iconic cross-country greenway from Dublin to Galway remains a priority for this government, however we will now focus on completing the greenway from Maynooth to Westmeath, with a view to having that section completed in 2017,” he said.

“Funds are limited in respect of greenways, as they are in all areas, so I have come to the decision, in the interest of delivering not just the Dublin to Galway greenway but greenways throughout the country, to progress only those projects that have been properly assessed and approved and that have planning permission in place and are ready to go.”

 

Minister Donohoe’s announcement was made after he received a report by Transport Infrastructure Ireland (TII) which consulted with landowners along the preferred Galway/Roscommon section of the route to determine their views on, and willingness to progress, the project.

Minister Donohoe said the success of the sections of the Greenway that have been opened to date demonstrates the benefits to local communities in the form of increased tourism and easy access to outdoor local activities.

“The most recent part of the Greenway to be opened was the Mullingar to Athlone section in recent weeks, which has been warmly welcomed and which is already acknowledged to be a great addition to the area,” he stated.

“This Government is committed to providing a world-class Greenway that will attract touring cyclists to Ireland who might not otherwise come here. Research has shown that there are hundreds of thousands of tourists who wish to go on cycling holidays who will chose other countries over Ireland if we do not provide an offering with off-road, scenic routes. Easy access to facilities for eating, drinking and accommodation must also be provided.

“In a broader context, work is on-going, as part of the National Cycle Policy Framework (2009-2020) review, to further develop a comprehensive approach to the building of new Greenways to ensure they tie in with existing cycling and tourism policies. My Department continues to work with other Departments and agencies to ensure that access to public lands and waters forms a key component of that work.”