Murrisk Greenway group want public inquiry into Mayo greenway 'debacle'

The chairman of the group opposed to the preferred route option for the Westport to Murrisk Greenway has called for a public inquiry into the decision not to bring the greenway along the main Louisburgh road.

The group, 'Threat to Belclare to Murrisk Community' obtained documents and drawings in a Freedom of Information request from Mayo County Council regarding an application made for funding to bring the Greenway to Murrisk along the R335 Westport to Louisburgh road.

The application received the greenlight in 2019 but the project never got off the ground despite funding being allocated.

Peter Shanley, Chairman of the Threat to Belclare to Murrisk Community group told The Mayo News that the drawings showed that the greenway can be brought along the main road without people's property being affected.

Mr Shanley said that had the 2019 project gone ahead the greenway to Murrisk would be delivered alongside the realignment of the public road. He said questions need to be answered as to why it was scrapped and demanded a public inquiry into the delivery of the Belclare to Murrisk Greenway.

“Why is the big question. Why were these drawings scrapped? They would have cost probably half a million to produce and they are now on a shelf somewhere. They [council] drew down funding on the strength of them but it was never spent on this project.

“There should be an inquiry into this whole debacle about a proposed Greenway which they want to put through people's property and up the slopes of Croagh Patrick and commonage when nobody was demanding it. It has come out of nowhere. I think there should be an inquiry into this chaired by a senior counsel because those drawings expose the carry on. It is not an unreasonable request,” he said.

Transport Infrastructure Ireland (TII) are now responsible for the delivery of Greenways in Ireland and they have adopted new standards for the design of Greenways.

The TII's preferred route option for the Belclare to Murrisk Greenway goes 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. An alternative option to bring it alongside the R335 was ruled out by the design team because of the cost involved.

Mr Shanley said he accepted that the TII has different standards but felt what was proposed in 2019 would serve the needs of the local community.

“The people west of here (Murrisk) only want a decent road to get to the hospital, get to work and go their shopping and the new drawings show they can also have the cycleway with that. All they have to do is put crash barriers to protect the people on the cycleway.

“There is no reason why there cannot be a cycleway from Belclare Cross to Roonagh running alongside the existing road and those drawings prove it. The evidence is all there,” he said.

The Freedom of Information document was raised at last week's monthly meeting of the Westport/Belmullet Municipal District where local councillor Brendan Mulroy asked the council executive when the decision was made to scrap the 2019 plans.

In response, Head of the Municipal District, Seamus Ó Mongáin said that the TII has different standards to what was before the council in 2019. He added 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'.

Cllr Peter Flynn who is the only Westport-based councillor to speak in favour of the preferred route option said that money for Greenways was lost following the department audit in 2020 and they will have to move forward.

“That document has no relevance anymore because we are working to TII standards and they have very clear standards we have to abide by. Whatever comes out of that route option we have to deal with it,” he said.