Opposition to Greenway is ‘underestimated’

It has been alleged that consultation teams are not properly recording the public’s opposition to the proposed walking and cycling greenway from Ballinasloe to Galway city.

A campaign group, set up in East Galway, are up in arms over what they describe as poor consultation with the land owners affected. They said that efforts are being made to less the amount of opposition there is to the walking and cycling greenway on the ground.

It is proposed to construct a greenway across agricultural lands from Ballinasloe to Galway and this is being met with stiff opposition from land owners along the route. It is one of the most controversial developments to affect the county in recent years.

Members of the farming community are exercised over the plan and have already voiced their opposition to any attempt to acquire their lands by compulsory purchase order.

Adrian Kelly from Killoran near Ballinasloe is heading up a group who are opposed to the greenway being provided. They are suggesting other alternative routes and possibly using the old N6 national primary route as a possible option.

He has now taken issue with the consultation teams from the National Roads Authority who are currently engaging with farmers along the proposed route.

Mr. Kelly said that the findings from these consultations were not reflective of the level of opposition to the greenway from land owners.

“The teams are meeting with landowners and home owners are talking to them and then completing a form. The teams are, however, failing to complete certain sections these forms.

“These sections indicate the person’s objection, or otherwise, to the proposed cycle route.

“Because these sections are not completed, even though the landowner has strongly voiced their objection to the route’s incursion onto their property to the consultation teams, the property owner is being described, on NRA files, as ‘undecided’. This will have the effect of providing an inaccurate level of opposition to the proposed project in the NRA’s final report to the Minister. How can the landowners and homeowners be certain that their views are being accurately reflected in the final report to the Minister”, Mr. Kelly asked.

Those advocating the greenway say that it would provide East Galway with much needed tourism revenue.

The greenway would connect Dublin with Galway along some of the most scenic parts of the country. H

owever, the opposition to the project in Galway is major. Some farmers fear that it will split their lands in two.