Proposed greenway to Murrisk causing ‘alarm and frustration’ 

AN Independent Louisburgh-based local-election candidate wants the Belclare to Murrisk Greenway to follow the existing roadway rather go through people’s land.

Chris Maxwell, an Independent candidate in the Westport Electoral Area, says residents and landowners between Belclare and Murrisk do not want the greenway going through their farms and land.

In September, Mayo County Council announced two possible Greenway routes linking Belclare to Murrisk. One option was to improve the existing Greenway running alongside the main road. The second was to construct an entirely new seven-metre-wide cycle path to the south of the main road up through Brackloon and the foothills of Croagh Patrick to Murrisk.

Mr Maxwell said that the second option had caused ‘alarm and frustration’ among people along its route and should be avoided.

“As local election candidate I will be advocating very strongly for option one. This route runs alongside, but separate to, the R335 – the main road connecting Westport and Louisburgh. This road is dangerously inadequate in places. Improved safety for all its users, drivers, pedestrians and cyclists should be a priority.

“Where public money is being invested in infrastructure, surely it must be the first imperative that the resources being allocated, deliver the most benefits to the highest number of people, most cost effectively. Why build a new seven-metre-wide road for cyclists when the existing road to Louisburgh and Killeen is in dire need of upgrading?” he said.

Mr Maxwell, who ran as a Fianna Fáil candidate in the 2019 local elections, added that with construction works to connect the new water supply from Westport to Murrisk, now is the ideal time to upgrade the R335 to Louisburgh.

“Mayo County Council should seize the opportunity provided by option one to deliver a road of equal standard to that of the road connecting Newport to Westport, all the way to Louisburgh, Killeen and Roonagh.

“One of the greatest benefits of option one could be to deliver this improved road infrastructure, using public funding wisely thus resulting in more economic opportunities to our communities living further west with increased connectivity to the east,” he said.