West Mayo councillors clash over Murrisk Greenway route

West Mayo councillors opposed to the preferred route option for the Greenway to Murrisk have called on the TII to use some 'commonsense' and bring the Greenway along the main road.

There were passionate comments regarding the Greenway from Westport to Murrisk at the monthly meeting of the Westport/Belmullet Municipal District after it was revealed that Mayo County Council received funding in 2019 to bring the Greenway from Westport to Murrisk along the main R335 road to Louisburgh.

The group opposed to the preferred route option received documentation following a Freedom of Information request regarding an application Mayo County Council made for funding to bring the Greenway along the R335.

The document was forwarded to councillors and raised at the monthly meeting of the Westport/Belmullet Municipal District. Cllr Brendan Mulroy told the meeting that according to the document, the project was shovel ready and funding was received in December 2019 and questioned what happened for the project to be shelved.

“At what stage was the greenway shelved from Belclare to Murrisk and the decision made to go up the hill rather than go alongside the road,” he asked in reference to the preferred route option to take the Greenway through land along the foot of Croagh Patrick.

The new Head of the Municipal District, Seamus Ó Mongáin explained that since 2019 Transport Infrastructure Ireland (TII) became the lead body for the delivery of greenways nationally and they have different standards.

“Standards have determined what shape that greenway has to take and that is how you find different options have to be considered because the fiscal infrastructure is such that it will allow or not allow it to be put on the road,” he said.

The Murrisk Greenway project is being developed by Mayo County Council in conjunction with Transport Infrastructure Ireland. The preferred route option 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.

Louisburgh-based councillor Chris Maxwell and Independent councillor John O'Malley both said that the preferred route option through people's land will not be allowed to go ahead and for the greenway to go alongside the main road.

“TII are going around with their €10 million trying to force it up the side of a hill where no one wants it and everyone knows that and that is not going to happen. TII have their standards, fair enough, but it was good enough in 2019 and what is wrong with going back the R335 with a bit of commonsense and run one alongside the other. There is plenty of room.

“It is sound and it will bring that greenway all the way back to Roonagh where it is needed to hook up to the islands and keep it going. It might not be perfect but it will be a start and will be alright if it is done right.

“Use pure commonsense and do the road and put the greenway beside it as was planned in 2019 when funding was approved and keep the show going. Commonsense is all we are asking for,” he said.

However, Westport-based Fine Gael councillor who supports the preferred route option, expressed disappointment with the 'negative' comments of his fellow councillors. He said that the ultimate decision on the preferred route will be with the local councillors and if it is not approved, the Greenway to Louisburgh will not happen.

“Listening to the comments here it is important that the message goes out that the greenway is dead. I don't see it happening. I hear the negative comments that they won't be supporting the route which will be proposed and I think it is regrettable for west Mayo and the whole of Clew Bay that the likes of Murrisk, Lecanvey, Kilsallagh, Louisburgh and the islands are going to be at a loss.

“I think it will be a huge mistake and will be retrospective and the worst decision that we have made as local councillors in all my 20 years as a councillor. It is time to stop the rhetoric and if it is not going to happen it is time to tell the people it won't happen,” he said.

Mr Ó Mongáin told the meeting that the decision on the greenway route has not been finalised yet and the scheme is still at option selection report stage and has to run its course. He added that in the spring there was an 'awful lot of misinformation going out' after a public meeting on the routes which he said was not helpful.

He said the National Roads Office who are working on the project would like to hold a workshop with the councillors in the coming weeks to discuss the route options. This was welcomed by the councillors who asked for the workshop to be held before the October meeting of the municipal district.