Council to look at providing 'grander' entry to cycle trail

There’s not enough signage showing where the Old Rail Cycleway is – and there should be a more distinct entrance, councillors have told the executive of Westmeath County Council.

Cllr Emily Wallace raised the subject at the most recent meeting of the Mullingar Municipal District, complaining that the signage is inadequate.

She asked that the council urgently provide better signage, indicating accesses to the greenway.

Cllr Wallace also said that along the trail itself, there should be milestone signs, and, as well, she queried what plans the council has to market it.

The response to the queries she raised was that an application for additional funding is currently with the department.

“The recently adopted Tourism Strategy has identified the greenway as a key plank of our strategy. Aligned to this is the desire to establish a tourism office,” the response concluded.

Cllr Wallace said that needed along the greenway are signs indicating distances to the next town, and where toilets are.

“We need to be promoting our towns and villages on the route,” she continued.

Cllr Ken Glynn was in full agreement, going on to call to have a “frame” over the entrance to the greenway, especially given that it was the entrance to both the canal tow-path and the Old Rail Trail Greenway.

He also suggested that an old rail carriage museum on the route would be an attractive focal point.

Cllr Johnny Penrose praised the council for the new car park at Castletown-Geoghegan for greenway users.

From the Joe Dolan bridge, there are no signs indicating where the track is, Cllr Frank McDermott complained.

Director of Services, Martin Murray said that the council would look at installing a “grander” entrance, and he said that the council is constantly aiming to “fine tune” the project.