Minister Dempsey to officially open new Greenway on Friday

Cathaoirleach vows to keep foot on the pedal for Smarter Travel campaign


Minister Dempsey to officially open Greenway on Friday

Michael Duffy

THE Cathaoirleach of Westport Town Council, Myles Staunton, has appealed to his fellow councillors and the public in general to keep their feet on the pedal in promoting the Smarter Travel campaign in the town.
Westport is one of eleven towns across the country competing for a large tranche of Government funding which can be used to further enhance environmentally friendly travel throughout the town. Five of the eleven towns will received funding when judges make their adjudication later in the summer but the Cathaoirleach stressed that it was far from certain that the town would be one of the lucky five.
“We are the smallest town competing and I want to stress to everyone that it is far from agiven that we will be one of the five towns chosen. We have to keep on promoting the Smarter Travel ethos and I know the judges were impressed with the community spirit they saw in the town when they were here recently.”
The town will have a great opportunity to showcase its Smarter Travel improvements on Friday next when Minister for Transport, Noel Dempsey will visit the town to officially open the new Greenway, which runs from Altamont Street out to the Quay on the Old Railway Line Walk.
Friday’s itinerary will see assembly at the Mill Street/High Street Car Park at 1.15pm, followed by walk/cycle along part of Greenway. At 1.20pm, an ecumenical blessing and unveiling of a plaque will take place at Cloonmonad Bridge and at 1.30pm the Minister will lead a cycle out as far as Westport Quay School.
The Cathaoirleach appealed to as many people as possible to show up for what he said should be a wonderful occasion.
“The Greenway has been a tremendous success so far and Friday is the perfect opportunity for us to showcase one of our most successful projects to the Minister. We just hope now that the weather stays fine and I would ask everyone who has a bicycle in the town to come along on their two wheels,” said Cllr Staunton.
Earlier in the morning, Minister Dempsey, will be in Mulranny to officially open the Great Western Greenway (Newport to Mulranny) and Mayo’s Minister of State, Dara Calleary is also encouraging people to attend.
“The Great Western Greenway is a 17.5km off-road trail that links Newport and Mulranny following the track of the old and well-renowned Newport/Mulranny railway which closed in 1937. The Greenway is the longest off-road cycling and walking trail in the country and is the first section of the National Cycle Network to be constructed,” said Minister Calleary.
“The Greenway will prove greatly beneficial to local recreational, educational and work travel users and it is expected to attract international interest from cyclists and walkers all across the world. The overall cost of the project is €1.6 million with financial support being made available by the Department of Transport, Department of Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs and Mayo County Council.
“It is also very important to compliment the local landowners for their co-operation and others such as CIE, South Mayo Leader Development Company, the local Rural Social Schemes, North Western Regional Fisheries Board and the National Trails Office,” said Minister Calleary.