Ireland would be a “laughing stock” if old national road used for Dublin to Galway Greenway

An old national road route, the former N6 road, is not a suitable location for an international greenway and it would make the country a “laughing stock”, the Galway Cycling Campaign has said. It said that funding should go elsewhere rather than it being used on the wrong route.

The Irish Farmers’ Association (IFA) have continually suggested that the Transport Infrastructure Ireland (formerly the National Roads Association) should reroute the greenway to use the old N6 road.

In a statement, the Galway Cycling Campaign said: “[the campaign] has called on the Minister for Transport, Mr. Paschal Donohoe TD, to reject IFA proposals to put a local section of an international greenway beside the old N6. Controversy has erupted about the routing of the Galway section of the Eurovelo 2 cycling route. The route is meant to start in Galway and end in Moscow and much of the mainland sections are already in place. Conflict has arisen between the IFA and the NRA who have proposed to CPO farmers’ land to construct the route.”

The campaign also claimed that that both Galway County Council  and Transport Infrastructure Ireland “seem to have ignored standard methods for providing such routes without splitting farms”.

Opposing farmers’ claims that the cycling and walking route is not strategic, the campaign said: “A reality check is needed. The Greenway represents strategic international infrastructure and, if implemented correctly, could open up a huge new tourism product for East Galway. Elsewhere in Europe cycling tourism is big business. Over 5 million Germans take a cycling holiday every year. Domestically, the German cycling tourism market has sales of more than €9 billion annually. In 2010 just over one million Dutch people went on a cycling holiday with the potential market estimated at 1.7 million [people].”

It added: “Between the towns of Gort, Loughrea and Ballinasloe there are currently over 5000 people on the live register. Retail in Ballinasloe has been decimated. The cycling route represents an enormous opportunity for communities along its path – including the farming community. By pushing a ‘solution’ that would destroy the essential nature of the greenway, the IFA are open to the accusation that they are sabotaging economic recovery for local communities and towns in East Galway.”

IMAGE: Part of the Great Western Greenway near Castlebar in Co Mayo

CORRECTION: The above article orignaly included the following as part of a quote: “…In 2010 just over one million Dutch people went on a cycling holiday with the potential market estimated at €1.7 million.” The inclusion of a euro symbol was a sub-editing mistake which was included in a statement from the Galway Cycling Campaign, at their request it has now been corrected to remove mention of monetary amounts. 


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7 comments

  1. Galway Cycling Campaign is correct in its rejection of IFA suggestions that the route be run along the ‘old’ N6 alignment. This is international infrastructure for the very good reason that it form the last part of Euro Velo Route #2 (The Capitals). It is equivalent to E-Routes for inter-European goods transport by roads.
    http://www.eurovelo.com/en/eurovelos/eurovelo-2
    But now that we are into another election cycle (no pun intended) we won’t see any political party ruffle farmers’ feathers this side of March 2016. The project is essentially dead.

    Reply
  2. Yes, I have to agree with the Galway Cycling Campaign. Routing a Greenway along the side of a road with regular traffic is a contradiction. It would be a poor use of public money and has to be avoided.

    However, if the old N6 were closed off to cars, that would be different. Is the IFA proposing anything on these lines?

    Concerned landowners need to realise that there is a tremendous opportunity here for the local economy. If they jeopardise that, there are other counties who will gladly take it instead. I’m sure Mayo Co Co will be only too happy to have the East-West Greenway connect to Castlebar and Westport instead of Galway.

    Reply
  3. Where can one find actual figures to the money that is actually being brought into Castlebar, Westport and the villages along the West Greenway due to the Greenway.? In what sectors? Cafés, Chip Shop, Restaurants , hotels, pubs? How many actual jobs has it created for the towns ? Where can one find reports for this ?

    Reply

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