Council warn of consequences of failing to follow TII code to deliver Mayo Greenways

A senior official with Mayo County Council has warned that funding for Greenway projects in the county will be withdrawn if they fail to follow Transport Infrastructure Ireland (TII) guidelines in delivering Greenway projects.

In a reply to a notice of motion submitted by Westport councillor Peter Flynn, Director of Services with Mayo County Council, Tom Gilligan stated that the local authorities are obliged to follow the guidelines adopted by the TII and failure to do so will result in funding being withdrawn.

In a notice of motion which is to come before Monday's monthly meeting of Mayo County Council, Cllr Peter Flynn asked for a report setting out the 'implications for all Local Authorities' in relation to the delivery of greenways since responsibility was passed from the county council's to the TII.

In the report, Mr Gilligan stated that the TII has published the Project Manager's Manual for Greenway Projects to act as a guide to the local authority which provides an 'eight-phase process that ensures consistency of management, delivery and oversight of the Greenway programme across the country'.

He said that local authorities are obliged to follow the eight-phase process and failure to do so will result in funding being withheld

“While the model provided by TII provides Mayo County Council with more certainty in relation to multi-annual funding it also comes with an implicit responsibility on the council to progress the project in compliance with various guidance, standards, best practice and legislative obligations while TII provides the necessary approvals and funding to support the progress and potential delivery of the Greenway programme.

READ: How growing blueberries is making Mayo more climate resilient

“At the end of each phase of a Greenway project Mayo County Council must seek TII approval to proceed to the next phase. Consent to proceed is contingent on Mayo County Council submitting the required deliverables and ensuring that various legal obligations and specific TII conditions are met.

Director of Services Tom Gilligan

“TII will review and consider the application in the context of funding priorities before approval to proceed is confirmed. If Mayo County Council has not fulfilled its obligations to the satisfaction of TII the necessary future funding to progress the project will not be provided,” he stated.

In 2021, the TII was delegated as the state agency with sole responsibility to fund the delivery of the National and Regional Greenways programme across the country.

Later that year the Government published the Code of Best Practice for National and Regional Greenways which provided comprehensive information in relation to the process involved in planning, designing and constructing National and Regional Greenways.

The extension of the Belclare to Murrisk Greenway and the extension of the Greenway to Bunnacurry in Achill were among the first projects in Mayo to be delivered while following the new TII Code of Best Practice.

They are both currently in the planning stage in Mayo but have faced opposition from some local landowners and residents who voiced opposition to the Greenway going through private property. They also criticised the manner in which Mayo County Council have communicated with them on the projects.

The emerging preferred route option for the Murrisk Greenway which was announced in February 2024 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. The project is currently going through the design and evaluation stage and the final route is expected to come before the local councillors for approval later this year.

Opponents of the route state they are not opposed to a Greenway but called for it to be developed alongside the main Westport to Louisburgh R335 road. However in his report Mr Gilligan outlined that Greenway routes must meet certain criteria to avail of funding.

“TII will not fund and/or continue to fund a Greenway project that does not demonstrate consistency with the "Five S" criteria where a project should be Scenic, Sustainable, Strategic, Segregated and with lots to See and Do in conjunction with environmental, engineering and financial considerations.

Cllr Peter Flynn asked for a report on Greenway

“TII will not fund and/or continue to fund a Greenway project that does not provide value for money, is not designed to standard, has not completed the necessary road safety audits and has not successfully navigated the necessary statutory consent processes,” he outlined.

Mr Gilligan also informed the councillors that the conditions set by TII are informed by Government policy and best practice with an 'overarching objective to deliver high quality Greenway infrastructure in County Mayo'.

“The projected investment is significant and TII, in collaboration with Mayo County Council, needs to be confident that this investment provides value for money and is secure into the future,” he stated.

Landowners in both Achill and Murrisk have expressed concern that unlike the original Great Western Greenway where permissive access was given to land, the local authority will purchase the land and can carry out Compulsory Purchase Orders (CPOs) if necessary.

In his report, Mr Gilligan also confirmed that the TII will not fund and/or continue to fund a Greenway project through its construction phase unless the land is owned by Mayo County Council.