Farmers still fear impact of cycleway

The development of a 140km cycling path between Galway and Athlone is being resisted by a significant proportion of landowners along the proposed route.

A meeting this week heard how a considerable number of landowners along the proposed route through the south and east of the county have not even been consulted – while many more are refusing to engage with the project team.

It was stated that farmers still fear their lands will be split by the cycleway – and that is why some will not even entertain those who are driving the project, which include Transport Infrastructure Ireland and Galway County Council.

County Galway IFA says that this has absolutely nothing to do with compensation – farmers do not want their land acquired by compulsory purchase order or have it split in two by a cycle greenway.

IFA Regional Organiser Roy O’Brien told the Connacht Tribune that it was one of the most contentious issues he had ever come across and was not something that could be ‘solved overnight’.

“The mention of compulsory purchase orders or splitting farmland in two is like a red rag to a bull. It simply won’t be tolerated. Remember, this is not about compensation,” Mr O’Brien added.

The matter came up for discussion at Loughrea Municipal Council when it was stated that the €1.5 million project was being opposed by a significant number of farmers along the proposed route.

It also emerged that many property holders along the cycleway had even refused to engage with the project team. The meeting was told that around 30 landowners were opposed to the route coming through their properties.

The proposed route corridor commences at Ballyloughane Beach in the city and takes in Oranmore, Rinville, Clarinbridge, Kilcolgan, Kinvara, Coole Park, Gort, Woodford, Portumna, Meelick, Clonfert, Shannonbridge and eventually Athlone.

Project Manager Cian McGuinness told the meeting that it was hoped that much of the route would take in State-owned lands such as Bord Na Móna tracks, Coillte forest roads and ESB property.

He explained that public consultations had taken place in late 2020 with two similar engagements in early and late 2021. He added that the purpose of this was to assure landowners of the least possible disruption during the delivery of the cycleway.

Where land access could not be achieved, the possibility of the cycleway being provided in parallel with existing rural roads was not being ruled out.

“One we are on the same hymn sheet with landowners, then we can progress the project. It is not our intention to divide any community with this cycleway,” Mr McGuinness assured members.

Cllr Joe Byrne (FG) queried the necessity for the project team to acquire an eight-metre width of cycleway from landowners when the path would be no wider than three metres. He also pointed out that avid cyclists would not be using the greenway on account of it being mainly utilised by families and leisure cyclists.

According to Cllr Geraldine Donohue (Ind), there was a lot uncertainty and some negativity towards the cycleway among the farming community – some of whom, she said, had not been contacted.

It was the view of Cllr Martina Kinane (FF) that the cycleway should be constructed alongside existing roads, including the main Galway to Gort road (N67) insofar as possible to avoid any inconvenience to the farming community.