Western Rail Corridor (all disused sections)

westtip

Press release From: The Western Rail Trail campaign

September 28th 2016 for immediate release

• Greenway Campaign welcomes positive attitude towards Western Rail Trail greenway on closed railway in new draft county Sligo plan
• Calls on Sligo county council to make the Sligo section of Western Rail Trail a top priority and push for funding
• “Sligo county council is showing vision in comparison with Mayo county council, which effectively turned its back on public opinion in favour of a free to use greenway as expressed in nearly 300 submissions asking for the same on the closed railway from Claremorris to Bellaghy on the Mayo county plan”

A spokesman for the Western rail Trail Campaign – a group campaigning to preserve the alignment of the closed rail line from Athenry to Collooney by utilising the route for tourism and leisure as a greenway, until such time as a railway may be possible, today gave a welcome to the release of the draft Sligo County Development Plan 2017 to 2023. The plan was made available for public inspection on September 21st and submissions are now invited from the public.

Spokesman for the Western Rail Trail campaign Brendan Quinn said our campaign welcomes the way in which the new draft county plan has embraced many of the ideas we have been pushing to be adopted for many years.

Quinn added, “In this new draft county plan there is a clear recognition of the idea to put a greenway either on or alongside the closed railway route. We have to believe that our message has finally got through to the council members and planning executives that a greenway on the closed railway route is recognised as best practice internationally as the way to protect the route in public ownership for future generations until such time as a railway ever becomes feasible.”

We were really pleased to see a whole section of the county plan devoted to several ideas for developing long distance greenways in the county. The Western Rail Trail which will follow the route of the closed railway line from Collooney all the way to Athenry will be a major boost to tourism in the West of Ireland and we are delighted to see that Sligo county council is now embracing this idea for the Sligo section of the Western Rail Trail from Collooney to Bellaghy. What we really need to see is the county plan to make this project a priority.

In time we hope to see Mayo and Galway county councils share the same vision as Sligo County council and adopt this idea. Quinn added “Sligo county council is showing vision in comparison with Mayo county council, which effectively turned its back on public opinion in favour of a greenway as expressed in nearly 300 submissions asking for the same on the closed railway from Claremorris to Bellaghy on the Mayo county plan”. Mayo county council received nearly 300 submissions on the new Mayo county plan in 2014 asking for a free to use greenway but the issue wasn’t even presented for debate in the council chamber despite the fact it is recognized international best practice to preserve closed former railway lines as long distance greenways.

We are delighted Sligo council are showing real vision in the new draft county plan and urge supporters to make submissions in favour of this stance said Quinn, “With regard to Mayo we will just have to follow all avenues open to challenge the way Mayo County Council flagrantly dismissed public opinion on this matter; but it will be a missed opportunity if the Sligo section of the Western Rail Trail stops at the rusting closed railway line that runs from Charlestown to Claremorris, it will be a pity for Charlestown, Swinford and Kiltimagh to miss out on this clear opportunity to have such a superb free to use public amenity running through these towns and to be connected to the wider national greenway network, and a local free to use facility for those communities at a relatively low cost"

ENDS: body text 568 words Contacts: Brendan Quinn 087 4198193 Find us on Facebook: sligomayogreenwaycampaign
email brenquinn@eircom.net


Picture caption:
Sligo county council show vision for new greenway on closed railway but Mayo county council blocked public support in Mayo county plan.

sonnyblack

westtip wrote: »

Press release From: The Western Rail Trail campaign

September 28th 2016 for immediate release

• Greenway Campaign welcomes positive attitude towards Western Rail Trail greenway on closed railway in new draft county Sligo plan
• Calls on Sligo county council to make the Sligo section of Western Rail Trail a top priority and push for funding
• “Sligo county council is showing vision in comparison with Mayo county council, which effectively turned its back on public opinion in favour of a free to use greenway as expressed in nearly 300 submissions asking for the same on the closed railway from Claremorris to Bellaghy on the Mayo county plan”

A spokesman for the Western rail Trail Campaign – a group campaigning to preserve the alignment of the closed rail line from Athenry to Collooney by utilising the route for tourism and leisure as a greenway, until such time as a railway may be possible, today gave a welcome to the release of the draft Sligo County Development Plan 2017 to 2023. The plan was made available for public inspection on September 21st and submissions are now invited from the public.

Spokesman for the Western Rail Trail campaign Brendan Quinn said our campaign welcomes the way in which the new draft county plan has embraced many of the ideas we have been pushing to be adopted for many years.

Quinn added, “In this new draft county plan there is a clear recognition of the idea to put a greenway either on or alongside the closed railway route. We have to believe that our message has finally got through to the council members and planning executives that a greenway on the closed railway route is recognised as best practice internationally as the way to protect the route in public ownership for future generations until such time as a railway ever becomes feasible.”

We were really pleased to see a whole section of the county plan devoted to several ideas for developing long distance greenways in the county. The Western Rail Trail which will follow the route of the closed railway line from Collooney all the way to Athenry will be a major boost to tourism in the West of Ireland and we are delighted to see that Sligo county council is now embracing this idea for the Sligo section of the Western Rail Trail from Collooney to Bellaghy. What we really need to see is the county plan to make this project a priority.

In time we hope to see Mayo and Galway county councils share the same vision as Sligo County council and adopt this idea. Quinn added “Sligo county council is showing vision in comparison with Mayo county council, which effectively turned its back on public opinion in favour of a greenway as expressed in nearly 300 submissions asking for the same on the closed railway from Claremorris to Bellaghy on the Mayo county plan”. Mayo county council received nearly 300 submissions on the new Mayo county plan in 2014 asking for a free to use greenway but the issue wasn’t even presented for debate in the council chamber despite the fact it is recognized international best practice to preserve closed former railway lines as long distance greenways.

We are delighted Sligo council are showing real vision in the new draft county plan and urge supporters to make submissions in favour of this stance said Quinn, “With regard to Mayo we will just have to follow all avenues open to challenge the way Mayo County Council flagrantly dismissed public opinion on this matter; but it will be a missed opportunity if the Sligo section of the Western Rail Trail stops at the rusting closed railway line that runs from Charlestown to Claremorris, it will be a pity for Charlestown, Swinford and Kiltimagh to miss out on this clear opportunity to have such a superb free to use public amenity running through these towns and to be connected to the wider national greenway network, and a local free to use facility for those communities at a relatively low cost"

ENDS: body text 568 words Contacts: Brendan Quinn 087 4198193 Find us on Facebook: sligomayogreenwaycampaign
email brenquinn@eircom.net


Picture caption:
Sligo county council show vision for new greenway on closed railway but Mayo county council blocked public support in Mayo county plan.

Is there a contradiction in the statement. The group mention about seeking a greenway from Athenry to Bellaghy and then from Claremorris to Bellaghy? Which is it?

savagethegoat

they are seeking a Greenway all the way, but the County boundary is in the Bellaghy locailty

westtip

sonnyblack wrote: »

Is there a contradiction in the statement. The group mention about seeking a greenway from Athenry to Bellaghy and then from Claremorris to Bellaghy? Which is it?

Could you show me the phrase Athenry to Bellaghy in this press release, I wrote it and have read it a few times just now and never see any mention of this phrase. Athenry to Collooney is mentioned as the overall objective for the Western Rail Trail and Collooney to Bellaghy in relation to the Sligo section of the Western Rail Trail and Claremorris to Charlestown in relation to the Mayo section of the Western Rail Trail which Mayo county council are stopping from happening. Maybe I am just being blind in my proof reading. Could you point it out to me please?

sonnyblack

westtip wrote: »

Could you show me the phrase Athenry to Bellaghy in this press release, I wrote it and have read it a few times just now and never see any mention of this phrase. Athenry to Collooney is mentioned as the overall objective for the Western Rail Trail and Collooney to Bellaghy in relation to the Sligo section of the Western Rail Trail and Claremorris to Charlestown in relation to the Mayo section of the Western Rail Trail which Mayo county council are stopping from happening. Maybe I am just being blind in my proof reading. Could you point it out to me please?

I see what you are saying. Apologies, I've misread it I'd say. Overall objective of Athenry to Collooney is clear.

westtip

Looks like the stranglehold of political support for Western Rail Corridor of Dail Representatives in Galway East is well and truly over.

Well done to Anne Rabbitte for saying it as it is.

eastwest

Good to see that another public representative is on board.
One by one, slowly but surely, ignorance will be pushed off the stage.

Del.Monte

Needs to be a trade off here 'You can have Boland but you can't have Fianna Fail' - You can have the Burma Road but you can't have Athenry/Claremorris.

eastwest

Del.Monte wrote: »

Needs to be a trade off here 'You can have Boland but you can't have Fianna Fail' - You can have the Burma Road but you can't have Athenry/Claremorris.

Exactly, the Athenry-Claremorris section is needed for Sean Cannery's briar-growing project.
'Operation stop tourists' needs barriers, and there's none better than the thorny stuff.

end of the road

jackofalltrades wrote: »

Great news!
Hope it gets the go ahead, it would be a great amenity for the area and would be great for tourism.
That and it would be a lot safer for cyclists than twisty back roads.

i don't agree. the back roads are perfectly fine for the amount that would want to cycle in south wexford. rosslare waterford is part of the last remaining cross country line in ireland.

eastwest

Yes, and a greenway will keep it in public ownership in case a future generation goes back to using railways in sufficient numbers to keep them viable.
The alternative to a greenway on these closed lines isn't a train, it's a gradual loss of the asset to takeover by adjoining landowners, road building and development. That's the reality outside of cloud cuckoo land.

Muckyboots

end of the road wrote: »

i don't agree. the back roads are perfectly fine for the amount that would want to cycle in south wexford.

And the evidence for this is..?

eastwest

Muckyboots wrote: »

And the evidence for this is..?

The same as the evidence for freight potential on the wrc.

end of the road

Muckyboots wrote: »

And the evidence for this is..?

i know the area well. nothing to see.
as i said, it's the start part of the last remaining cross country line, it also means wexford isn't cut off if the main line goes down meaning stock can be moved. otherwise we have the ridiculous notion of road hauling it to waterford or dublin, that must not be allowed. the new ross line is free and that has some stuff of worth that people would actually want to cycle to see.

savagethegoat

it's not about how many cycle in South Wexford, it's about how many extra can be achieved by providing facilities and the spin off services and jobs. Cycling on back roads , never kind main roads, is not particularly safe or pleasurable.

westtip

savagethegoat wrote: »

it's not about how many cycle in South Wexford, it's about how many extra can be achieved by providing facilities and the spin off services and jobs. Cycling on back roads , never kind main roads, is not particularly safe or pleasurable.

One off housing down wee boreens with 2 3 or even 4 cars which resemble troop carrier has made cycling along small country roads a very dangerous and risk filled occupation. This is why the segregated greenway is so much more preferable for leisure cycling tourism. It is a concept and idea that some politicians like Sean Canney don't understand, that closed railways make the best routes to use for such purpose. It makes little difference how many times they are told.

end of the road

savagethegoat wrote: »

it's not about how many cycle in South Wexford, it's about how many extra can be achieved by providing facilities and the spin off services and jobs. Cycling on back roads , never kind main roads, is not particularly safe or pleasurable.

any jobs coming to wexford (mind you why they would bother considering the county has been left to rot) would go to the towns. wexford, enniscorthy or gorey.

jackofalltrades

end of the road wrote: »

i don't agree. the back roads are perfectly fine for the amount that would want to cycle in south wexford. rosslare waterford is part of the last remaining cross country line in ireland.

The back roads and main roads are dangerous for cyclists.
In a near constant state of being covered in muck, stones and animal excrement.
Massive farming equipment, buses, trucks and speeding cars make cylists even less welcome.
That's before we even get to the state of the roads.
Blind bends, poorly surfaced, deep ditches and narrow sections.
And if you can hack all of the above get ready to be frequently barked at and chased by angry dogs.

Despite all of that you regularly see cyclists on the road.
Give them and pedestrians somewhere and I'd expect a greenway to massively take off.
That and this route would have the massive advantage of being near a busy ferry terminal, so would have a constant supply of tourist more than happy to use it.
Create a cycle path from the port to Rosslare strand and tourists could completely avoid the roads.

It has the potential to really invigorate the local economy and provide jobs.
A lot more than an unused railway line anyway.

jackofalltrades

end of the road wrote: »

any jobs coming to wexford (mind you why they would bother considering the county has been left to rot) would go to the towns. wexford, enniscorthy or gorey.

Jobs would go to the likes of Wellington bridge, Bridgetown, Ballycullane or Campile.
They are towns along the route in south Wexford.
The pubs, restaurant, cafes, shops and B&B's would be glad for the extra business.

end of the road

jackofalltrades wrote: »

The back roads and main roads are dangerous for cyclists.
In a near constant state of being covered in muck, stones and animal excrement.
Massive farming equipment, buses, trucks and speeding cars make cylists even less welcome.
That's before we even get to the state of the roads.
Blind bends, poorly surfaced, deep ditches and narrow sections.
And if you can hack all of the above get ready to be frequently barked at and chased by angry dogs.

Despite all of that you regularly see cyclists on the road.
Give them and pedestrians somewhere and I'd expect a greenway to massively take off.
That and this route would have the massive advantage of being near a busy ferry terminal, so would have a constant supply of tourist more than happy to use it.
Create a cycle path from the port to Rosslare strand and tourists could completely avoid the roads.

It has the potential to really invigorate the local economy and provide jobs.
A lot more than an unused railway line anyway.

well as someone who knows the area, i'm suggesting otherwise. a bus is a rarity on the back roads around the area.

jackofalltrades wrote: »

Jobs would go to the likes of Wellington bridge, Bridgetown, Ballycullane or Campile.
They are towns along the route in south Wexford.
The pubs, restaurant, cafes, shops and B&B's would be glad for the extra business.

you clearly don't know the area. they're is more chance of me being taoiseach then jobs going to those places. any jobs that would ever go to the county would go to wexford, enniscorthy, gorey. the main 3 towns in the county.

savagethegoat

end of the road wrote: »

well as someone who knows the area, i'm suggesting otherwise. a bus is a rarity on the back roads around the area.



you clearly don't know the area. they're is more chance of me being taoiseach then jobs going to those places. any jobs that would ever go to the county would go to wexford, enniscorthy, gorey. the main 3 towns in the county.

ou clearly don't understand how a Greenway works. The jobs would be in small businesses, café and B&Bs along the route. Does the Rosslare to Waterford line go to the places you mention?

end of the road

savagethegoat wrote: »

ou clearly don't understand how a Greenway works. The jobs would be in small businesses, café and B&Bs along the route. Does the Rosslare to Waterford line go to the places you mention?

oh i do understand how a greenway works. but i also understand the reality of the area we are now discussing. i also understand the particulars of this particular line and why in this particular case it should remain as a railway and that basic care and maintenence as supposibly agreed to in exchange for allowing the suspension of services should be enforced. but as neither are going to happen just like they're will be no greenway or railway on the wrc then really we are going to go around in circles.

Muckyboots

end of the road wrote: »

just like they're will be no greenway or railway on the wrc then really we are going to go around in circles.

Three Cllrs with pro Greenway manifestos elected to Galway Co Co wasn't a reality less than three years ago. But it happened. Greenways are a concept whose time has come- just like rail in the 1890's.

elastico

savagethegoat wrote: »

ou clearly don't understand how a Greenway works. The jobs would be in small businesses, café and B&Bs along the route. Does the Rosslare to Waterford line go to the places you mention?

I doubt a greenway would create much by way of jobs in south Wexford. The achill greenway is probably the busiest in the country but the area already has extensive tourist infrastructure, tourists and mountains, cliffs and beaches in place. Apart from a few bike hire outlets and a couple of cafes along the route it probably hasn't added a huge number of jobs to the area.

Greenways in South Wexford and WRC north won't be much more than a local amenity, would the few tourists it may attract offset the cost of maintaining the facility, marginal at best I would say.

topnotch

I look forward to the day that I can cycle up Taylorstown bank on my high nellie. They should start demolition of the line immediately.
I was down in Dungarvan recently and the place was hopping with cyclists and walkers on the completed section of the Deise Greenway from Dungarvan to Kilmacthomas. I had to redirect a bunch of Japanese tourists that were heading the wrong way down the permanent way looking for Durrow tunnel.

jackofalltrades

end of the road wrote: »

well as someone who knows the area, i'm suggesting otherwise. a bus is a rarity on the back roads around the area.

I'll take it since you didn't question my other points that you agree with them.
Buses are a regular occurrence on the roads, ferrying local children to and from school.
But you'd know that it you actually knew the area.

you clearly don't know the area. they're is more chance of me being taoiseach then jobs going to those places.
any jobs that would ever go to the county would go to wexford, enniscorthy, gorey. the main 3 towns in the county.

Why would the jobs go to people in Gorey?
Are people from there going to do a 2 hour round trip everyday to get to work?
No they'll employ local people.

And since you claim to know the local area.
Do you think the organisers of the recent Kilmore Quay Literary festival and the Duncormcik Harvest festival would prefer:
A) Loads of extra visitors to their festivals, bringing with them money and supporting local jobs
A unused railway line

savagethegoat

end of the road wrote: »

oh i do understand how a greenway works. but i also understand the reality of the area we are now discussing. i also understand the particulars of this particular line and why in this particular case it should remain as a railway and that basic care and maintenence as supposibly agreed to in exchange for allowing the suspension of services should be enforced. but as neither are going to happen just like they're will be no greenway or railway on the wrc then really we are going to go around in circles.

you clearly don't if you think jobs created by a Greenway n this line would go to
"wexford, enniscorthy, gorey"

savagethegoat

elastico wrote: »

I doubt a greenway would create much by way of jobs in south Wexford. The achill greenway is probably the busiest in the country but the area already has extensive tourist infrastructure, tourists and mountains, cliffs and beaches in place. Apart from a few bike hire outlets and a couple of cafes along the route it probably hasn't added a huge number of jobs to the area.

Greenways in South Wexford and WRC north won't be much more than a local amenity, would the few tourists it may attract offset the cost of maintaining the facility, marginal at best I would say.

you said yourself, the Achill line already had this infrastructure, the South Wexford doesn't and hence there's a n opportunity for entrepreneurs.

elastico

savagethegoat wrote: »

you said yourself, the Achill line already had this infrastructure, the South Wexford doesn't and hence there's a n opportunity for entrepreneurs.

Not sure where the opportunity is though. The tourists won't come. They visit Westport / Achill already anyway so hiring a bike is a bolt on as the greenway slices right through an established tourist draw.

A greenway won't draw tourists to middle Wexford or middle Mayo / Sligo.

end of the road

jackofalltrades wrote: »

I'll take it since you didn't question my other points that you agree with them.
Buses are a regular occurrence on the roads, ferrying local children to and from school.
But you'd know that it you actually knew the area.

Why would the jobs go to people in Gorey?
Are people from there going to do a 2 hour round trip everyday to get to work?
No they'll employ local people.

And since you claim to know the local area.
Do you think the organisers of the recent Kilmore Quay Literary festival and the Duncormcik Harvest festival would prefer:
A) Loads of extra visitors to their festivals, bringing with them money and supporting local jobs
A unused railway line

anyone going to those will be going via road. not via bike. and busses are few and far between. a greenway along this particular rail line would destroy part of the last remaining cross country link. it therefore must be faught against. plenty of other rail lines that are actually disused and that will actually offer something worth cycling along, such as new-ross.