Plans advance for greenway from Dublin to Eyre Square

A planning application for a “world-class” greenway cycle route stretching almost 280 kilometres from Eyre Square to Dublin is expected to be lodged with An Bord Pleanála towards the end of next year.

City councillors received a presentation this week from Eoin O’Mahony, Associate Director of consultancy firm Aecom, which has been charged with drawing up route options for the greenway.

Mr O’Mahony explained that the project will be a ‘world-class, traffic-free trail’ which needs to be of an appropriate scale and length that would satisfy tourists’ needs for several days of cycling.

He explained the Westport greenway has proven a huge success and attracted 200,000 users in 2013 alone.

The emerging preferred Galway element of the route is Ballinasloe, Aughrim, Kilreekil, Loughrea, Craughwell, Kilcolgan, Clarinbridge, Oranmore and in to Eyre Square. The stretch into the city is likely to be a route along the coast, away from traffic and taking in views of Galway Bay.

Mr O’Mahony said Fáilte Ireland carried out research with French, German, Dutch and Spanish tourists, which found that scenery; services every 20km; no traffic congestion and somewhere to shelter were the most important matters.

Land acquisition is likely to be through Compulsory Purchase Orders, to ensure long-term security of the route.

Following questions from city councillors, Mr O’Mahony said there will be a series of ‘spurs’ developed along the route, which would permit other sights and attractions to be taken in in the future, including the likes of Athenry.

Funding has been provided by the National Transport Authority up to the point where a planning application will be lodged directly with An Bord Pleanála in the third quarter of 2015.

Meanwhile, councillors have also allowed the local authority to progress separate greenways for Barna and Moycullen.

The City and County Councils are developing a design for a route from the junction of Fr Griffin Road and Claddagh Quay to the western edge of Barna village. The City Council has procured consultants to determine a route, which is likely to emerge towards the end of this month.

The Moycullen greenway will run from the junction of University Road and Canal Road Upper to the centre of Moycullen.

The City Council has agreed to allow the county authority to ‘take the lead’ on the plan, and information is being gathered at the moment to allow design works to begin.