Mayo councillors make submissions rejecting preferred route for Murrisk Greenway

Three sitting Westport-based councillors and a Local Election candidate have signed their name to a submission rejecting the preferred route option for the Westport to Murrisk Greenway.

Fianna Fáil councillor Brendan Mulroy and Independent councillors, Christy Hyland and John O'Malley along with Louisburgh-based Independent candidate Chris Maxwell all signed a submission to Mayo County Council calling for the preferred route option – Option 2 - to be rejected.

The Murrisk Greenway project is being developed by Mayo County Council in conjunction with Transport Infrastructure Ireland (TII). Option 2 will see the Greenway go off road from Aughavale Cemetery via the townlands of Cloonagh, Kiladangan and Deerpark towards Murrisk and will cut through land at the foot of Croagh Patrick.

As part of the consultation process, the public have been asked to make submissions on the emerging preferred route before  Friday, March 22 which will 'further inform the preliminary design for this scheme'. 

In identically worded submissions, the four men outlined that there was no support for Option 2 from the affected local landowners and the best option would be to upgrade the cycle and walkway along the R335 which is the main road from Westport to Murrisk.

They stated that the development of Option 2 will not result in more people cycling to work or school as they will have to go up and around hills and it would be better to develop a flatter option along the R335.

They also stated that they were against the Compulsory Purchase Order (CPO) of people's land to develop greenways as they are not considered essential infrastructure projects.

The submission read: “Minister [Eamon] Ryan [Minister for Transport] stated earlier this year that: 'While these projects are great tourism amenities , greenways are first and foremost for locals so that they can visit neighbours, get to school or into their local towns safely'.

“It is clear that the emerging preferred route from Belclare to Murrisk Option 2 is not in keeping with the Minister's statement. Greenways cannot be constructed at the expense of people's safety, livelihood, privacy, property or the preservation of natural habitats, least of all when more pressing needs, and appropriate options, are available. For those reasons and more we request the emerging preferred route be reviewed immediately, or face opposition in planning, at appeal, and in court.”

The emerging preferred route for the Murrisk Greenway has been met with resistance from landowners who are opposed to the Greenway going through their land.

They have formed a committee to express their opposition to Option 2 and recently held a public protest in Westport where speakers which included local councillors voiced their support to the opposition to the Greenway. They all stated they will not support the CPO of people's land to accommodate a greenway.

Castlebar-based engineering consultants Barry Transportation (BT) were appointed to provide technical consultancy services for the Option Selection process, Preliminary Design and Statutory Processes for this Greenway.

The emerging preferred route is approximately 6 km in distance and form’s part of the Clew Bay Bike Trail which links Westport, Murrisk, Louisburgh, Roonagh, Clare Island, Achill Island, Mulranny, Newport and returns to Westport.