Active Travel proposal for Dublin Road approved

Active Travel schemes for Mullingar and Athlone, costing in the region of €14m and €18m respectively, were given the go-ahead by members of Westmeath County Council at their November meeting.

The 2.4km Mullingar route from just north of the Dublin Bridge to the Ardmore Road and the Mullingar Park Hotel, and the 2.3km Athlone route from Creggan to Athlone Town Centre, are both expected to start late next year.

Pat Lally, head of Active Travel, was hopeful that construction on the Mullingar scheme could start by the end of 2026, but he said the route would probably be built in phases, "just in case anyone thinks we are going to be digging up 2km of Mullingar".

He said the estimated cost at the moment is €14m but that they "would be bottoming out the cost" as they get nearer.

Chief executive, Barry Kehoe, said local people took a significant interest in the Mullingar scheme and 21 public submissions were received; he assured members that all views were taken into account. Eight public submissions were received and considered for the Athlone scheme.

Mr Kehoe was confident that the scheme would work well with the local bus service due to commence in Mullingar in early 2026.

He said the schemes would improve facilities and segregation for pedestrians and cyclists, improve the overall appearance of the road, reduce the speed of vehicular traffic but not the capacity of the road to carry vehicular traffic, and make the road a safer place for all users.

Cllr Mick Dollard said it was "a good investment in the future of Mullingar". He said that area has seen a lot of residential development in recent years, with nine or 10 new housing schemes and another planned for Clonard House. He believed that this scheme would improve road safety and enhance the entrance to the town.

The Mullingar councillor said he understood that a raised roundabout was to be installed at the entrance to the Ardmore Road, and he welcomed that as "the present one is very dangerous".

The adoption of the Mullingar scheme was proposed by Cllr Dollard and seconded by the cathaoirleach, Cllr Aoife Davitt. She said that stretch was a hub for residents of local housing estates waiting for buses or walking along it.

Cllr David Jones welcomed the Mullingar and Athlone Active Travel schemes and said he looked forward to seeing similar schemes for Clonmellon and Delvin.

Cllr Denis Leonard called for park and ride in Mullingar, Athlone and Kinnegad. He said it would be easy and cheap to introduce such a scheme in Kinnegad. He also called for walk and cycle ways along the "grey ways" such as the old N4 and N6, which would "cost more like €14,000 than €14m".

Mr Kehoe said that acquiring land for a park and ride scheme was a significant challenge, and suggested that a park and share system might work in the meantime. He said the council should identify where park and ride would work, and concentrate on providing it in areas where it would have the greatest impact, where the council have land and where it might be easier to deliver, and tackle the more difficult ones over time.

He said the objective of Active Travel is to achieve a modal shift, to reduce dependence on fossil fuels, and to recognise the limit to carbon capacity in towns. That shift would reduce motoring costs and could allow people to go from being two-car households to one, he suggested.

The Athlone scheme was approved subject to three amendments suggested by Cllr Frankie Keena.

He proposed that the scheme be adopted on condition that changes be made to the proposed locations of a bus stop and a pedestrian crossing, and that the council engage with the adjacent landowner to acquire the necessary property to ensure as much of the existing on-street parking as possible was retained. He was seconded by Cllr John Dolan and supported by Cllr Paul Hogan.

Mr Kehoe said he believed Cllr Keena’s proposal could be accommodated in the scheme, and undertook to engage positively with the third party landowner.