Sligo Mayo Greenway Is it possible

il gatto

Tourism is virgin money to an economy (generated elsewhere, spent here). It is one of the most profitable and sustainable means of income to a region. Most other areas of Ireland realised this and worked on it over decades. We have been poorly served in this regard. I applaud westtip and all others who work to bring about that which people the majority see worthy of election are blind to. My scorn for the vision and abilities of people well paid to advance our locality is more based on being apalled rather than angry.

westtip

I like your phrase tourism is virgin money very good - and its true - tourism money just comes in from outside and we need more of it.

Make the sligo mayo greenway an election issue tell the candidates you want to see it happen - sooner rather than later and to just get on with it and when the time comes - if we are to have a railway on the line to just build the railway with a parallel greenway.

The Railway will not happen in the lifetime of the next dail or the one after that or after that. In the meantime we are losing the opportunity the alignment gives us to generate tourism income.

Tell your candidates on the doorstep you want it now!!!!!!!

cartoncowboy

I think this is a great idea. I never knew about the whole greeway thing until i stumbled upon this thread. We all know the opening of the railway from Sligo to Claremorris is a non runner, not in this decade anyway. Changing it to a greenway is the next best thing.

We have huge tourism potential and its not marketed enough in my opinion, something like this would be fantastic and if done in the right way, with commercial support and proper marketing overseas, any government would get the money back on it.

Money is tight to say the least at the mo with the IMF etc but hell we cant just sit around and do nothing while Europe hang us out to dry. Lets play to our strengths and if tourism and a project like this isnt one of them then lets all emigrate and let the last person out of Ireland turn out the lights. Come on politicians grow some BALLS !

westtip

cartoncowboy wrote: »

I think this is a great idea. I never knew about the whole greeway thing until i stumbled upon this thread. We all know the opening of the railway from Sligo to Claremorris is a non runner, not in this decade anyway. Changing it to a greenway is the next best thing.

We have huge tourism potential and its not marketed enough in my opinion, something like this would be fantastic and if done in the right way, with commercial support and proper marketing overseas, any government would get the money back on it.

Money is tight to say the least at the mo with the IMF etc but hell we cant just sit around and do nothing while Europe hang us out to dry. Lets play to our strengths and if tourism and a project like this isnt one of them then lets all emigrate and let the last person out of Ireland turn out the lights. Come on politicians grow some BALLS !

Thanks for the encouragement visit www.sligomayogreenway.com and let your candidates know if you are in Sligo/N Leitrim or if you are in Mayo the same. It would indeed pay for itself total estimated cost for the 70km of this stretch is 7 million. It would generate enough tourism and local usage - all out taking exercise and spending afterwards (the tired hungry trail user theory) to pay for itself in increased ~VAT take on products sold as a result of trail activity, plus visitor money just coming into the area to use the trail I reckon in it would contribute enough to the local economies to pay for itself in less than three years.

keithcan

The phrase that gets used to describe the benefit that tourism brings is 'the regional distributive effect of tourism as an industry'.

There is a wide range of activity tourism that can be exploited for the specific benefit of rural areas, but also for national benefit; what's being discussed here re Greenways is definitely a key focus, but all the others are there to be tackled with the right level of focus. For the sake of smallish investments, bird hides can be constructed at appropriate sites and attract a good number of bed-nights. Other activity tourism stuff, being perfect for development in rural areas, need to be addressed. There is good stuff going on, for example the mountain biking that the Ballyhoura area in Co Limerick has hit on.

Failte Ireland tell us that "Despite the fall off in global tourism in recent years, the adventure travel sector was less affected by the downturn". Stats are at http://www.failteireland.ie/Research-Statistics/Tourism-Facts/Tourism-Activities So it's an area worth the focus. All the cliches apply: we could be the New Zealand of the northern hemisphere, etc. etc.

One of the catalysts for a local area is often the local rural development group, who get EU funding. Here's the list of who and where they are- http://www.nrn.ie/the-national-rural-network/contact-details-for-leader-companies-in-ireland/

westtip

Keithcan thanks for those links - this is now a good debate. I think the issue of Railway versus Greenway has been resolved, the motion passed by Sligo CC has effectively made the Greenway the preferred option now matter how it is fudged about protecting the alignment and alongside the railway arguments etc - now it is a matter of how is it going to be done. How realistically can it be funded, which pots do we need to nick a bit from here and bit there, how do we get a group along the line behind the idea to support it (the latent support is there and the political will is there).

Can this project done on a local project by local project basis.

The Tubercurry Greenway, the Charlestown Greenway, the Kiltimagh greenway, and gradually get them to link up. This is how we now need to think to achieve this project. Several local groups working towards the one objective.

BTW if people are interested in the greenway pick up a copy of todays Western and read the front page of the community life section which leads with a story about the huge number of visitors the Great western greenway has bought to Mulranny.

westtip

I reckon we might see this along the whole of the Western Rail corridor from Collooney to Athenry, the FG manifesto is hardly a ringing endorsement of the supposed phase 2 and 3 of the Western Rail corridor (phase 1 was ennis Athenry) phase 2 is supposed to be Athenry Tuam then phase 3 Tuam Claremorris but the FG manifesto says:

From the back pages (page 79) of the FG manifesto:

the Western Rail Corridor, which will be subject to a cost benefit analysis by independent experts

Hardly a ringing endorsement for trains to Tuam and Claremorris and as for Claremorris to Collooney, well that truly is a piped dream. it sounds to me like FG are trying to get off the hook with the help of independent experts, don't blame them can't see the rest of the country putting up with money being spent on a pretty pointless rail line from Athenry to Claremorris.

westtip

great news feature about the sligo mayo greenway in the Champion of March 2nd see pages 34/35

westtip

The programme for Government PFG seem decidely thin on transport

I have found a bit of encouraging news for the Sligo Mayo Greenway in the new programme for government (link to full document http://www.finegael.ie/upload/ProgrammeforGovernmentFinal.pdf)

We will continue to invest in the National Cycle Policy

-m page 62

There is no mention of any specific transport projects - save everything will be subject to Cost benefit analysis. The Western Rail Corridor which did get mentioned by name in the FG manifesto does not get singled out for any mention in the PFG, mind you nor does any of the really big projects like Metro North. The fact the National Cylce policy is singled out - and ergo the national cycle network is part of that policy - is encouraging - if means it is very much on the radar screen and focus must be on Minister of Transport/ and of tourism to keep pointing this out - This is in your programme for Government as a named project what are you going to do about it. This must now be the focus of the campaign.

westtip

does anyone know when they moved the old railway gates off the rail crossign in Tubercurry and put up the builder fencing with padlocks on too stop peopel having access to the line to walk on.

and BTW sligomayogreenway is now on facebook if you want to like the page or join as a friend got to

http://www.facebook.com/#!/profile.php?id=100001773703036

With the cutbacks in Government expenditure the chances of the Western Rail Corridor ever happening (even the bit between Athenry and Tuam and Tuam and Claremorris looks in jeopardy now) are very slim - the government needs low cost projects that will deliver jobs - the sligomayo greenwway will do this so link up on facebook and become a friend and don't forget to keep on at John Perry about it!

westtip

Hundreds of people on the Great Western Greenway at the weekend! Wow How would Tubbercurry etc benefit from such a facility!!!:D

westtip

http://www.rte.ie/news/2011/0506/mayo.html

The former Newport to Mulranny railway line opened last summer as a tourist trail for cycling and walking trips. The EU competition looked at heritage sites that had been regenerated into eco-friendly tourist attractions. Fáilte Ireland invested €160,000 in turning the derelict railway line into an 18km greenway.

The trail attracted up to 700 visitors a day during the recent Easter break.

Wow – 700 ~Tired hungry Tourists every day – I doubt Tubbercurry, Coolaney, Kiltimagh, etc saw that many tourists in a month or even a year!

This is why we must pressurise Failte Ireland, the Department of Transport & tourism to push on with the Sligo Mayo Greenway. This idea will generate jobs in our county so please do your utmost to push it through and lets now enact the idea that has afterall been approved by Sligo County council.

www.sligomayogreenway.com

become a friend of the campaing on facebook

http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100001773703036

LeoB

westtip wrote: »

The trail attracted up to 700 visitors a day during the recent Easter break.

Wow – 700 ~Tired hungry Tourists every day – I doubt Tubbercurry, Coolaney, Kiltimagh, etc saw that many tourists in a month or even a year!

It makes sence to develop this type of tourism. I have suggested over in the Mayo thread that every council in Ireland should do a survey and come up with possible tracks that can be built at a relatavily small cost but that will bring some serious tourism from both home and abroad.

The idea is each county would come up with 3 - 5 trails, ie Sligo out on a loop around Rosses Point, A cycle way around Lough Gill, Ben Bulben......... You know your own geography.
You could also have a Sligo cycle week end maybe incorporate it with Mayo for a western cycling event. This would be great for everyone, young amd old. The spin off for Hotel, B & Bs, shops is immense. Cycle hire and repair. This money stays local as it will help keep small shops open

I think in the overall scheme of things at the moment it will take time but if people see the benefits they will follow with the idea. Various councils can put C.P.O.s in place when it suits them and this would not cost a fortune. A 10ft wide trail with Tar or gravel.

Look for reasons to do it not reasons why we cant. Keep pressure on your T.Ds, Lottery and multi-nationals for funding and sponsorship

eastwest

I would also favour the idea of using disused railway lines as leisure trails for walking and cycling (as in other countries) but rather than just opening individual isolated stretches, why not have an overall strategy for such trails?
I particularly like this proposal (http://www.johnmulligan.net) and I hope that it gets traction and support from existing proponents of the Sligo-Mayo proposal. I made a point of emailing the link to my TD today, and I hope that the debate is widened in this way. It seems to me that the tourism benefits should repay any investment quickly, and continue to give us a return long into the future.
Maybe I'm missing something, but this proposal seems to smack of common sense.

Dunlaffin

Sounds and looks wonderful in its glorious entirety.

Phase One : Get the Collooney to Claremorris line reinstated as a Greenway, so people advocating that are advocating phase 1 of this overall plan. Don't see the problem so??
Although I think his pricing might be a little on the weak side.

westtip

eastwest wrote: »

I would also favour the idea of using disused railway lines as leisure trails for walking and cycling (as in other countries) but rather than just opening individual isolated stretches, why not have an overall strategy for such trails?
I particularly like this proposal (http://www.johnmulligan.net) and I hope that it gets traction and support from existing proponents of the Sligo-Mayo proposal. I made a point of emailing the link to my TD today, and I hope that the debate is widened in this way. It seems to me that the tourism benefits should repay any investment quickly, and continue to give us a return long into the future.
Maybe I'm missing something, but this proposal seems to smack of common sense.

The proposal does indeed smack of common sense, and certainly I will leverage the idea through the SMG campaign - its not dissimiliar to a lot of the stuff written in the National Cycle Network Policy Document but yes I fully support what john mulligan is saying, we just have to get the message across. The whole idea of claremorris - collooney is indeed to link it with the Great Western - the two would then become a long trail from Sligo to Achill - no reason why this can't be done the Claremorris - Ballinrobe trail on the old rail line is being looked at - link Ballinrobe to Westport and you have three good days cycling at leisure for a great weekend.

westtip

A few updates on the Sligo mayo greenway campaign:

Over 750 friends on Facebook now go to http://www.facebook.com/#!/profile.php?id=100001773703036 to become a friend.

~Some interesting stuff appearing in local media some pro the idea and one or two pieces anti and one great articl int he national press all worth a read:

this piece in the mayo advertiser was written in reponse to a Mayo councillor who is opposed to the greenway:

http://www.advertiser.ie/mayo/article/42427

written in response to this article http://www.advertiser.ie/mayo/article/41907

piece in the independent last week which was great

http://www.independent.ie/farming/news-features/getting-walkways-on-track-is-a-route-to-rural-riches-2836821.html

this basically looked at the whole benefits of greenways to rural tourism

Finally another anti- greenway piece coming from the dinosaurs on The Western Regional council (God knows what they do for a living its another local government quango:

http://mayotoday.ie/index.php/browse-mayo-news-by-category/mayo-politics/item/3321-greenway-for-western-rail-corridor-ruled-out.html

I shouldn't take to much notice of this last group - its a talking shop with no power - Leo Varadkar will be the man who makes the decision.

Anyway thats a quick update on whats been said in the papers about the great idea that is the Sligo mayo greenway way. If you cannot understand the anti-greenway sentiments you have to understand the dinosaurs who are opposing it. Usually councillors in their late 50s who have a career invested in the Western Rail corridor about which they have been to endless meetings and claimed expenses on knowing full well it will never be re-opened as a railway again.

eastwest

Anybody looking at the opposition to the idea of a greenway on the claremorris/collooney line, and in particular, opposition to the notion of a national cycle network that includes many or all of the closed lines and canal banks, would have to conclude that there is an anti-tourism lobby at work here. The latest proposal coming from the Western Regional Council, proposed by sinn Fein, is blatantly anti-tourism.
Is Sinn Fein opposed to the idea of tourists coming to the west of ireland? Are they afraid that the "racial purity" of their support base in Sligo and Mayo might be polluted by contact with foreigners? Are they afraid that English tourists might change local views about the old enemy?
No other conclusion fits the facts. Sinn Fein are not stupid, they know that there is not a population to support a railway on the route, and they know that there is no money to throw at such a vanity project. So why did they propose this motion? Coming from an organisation that did its best to cut the rail link between Dublin and Belfast on so many occasions, it is very puzzling to see their conversion to the cause of the development of new railways.

Connacht

Folks,
Forget about (ignore) opponents to this idea. Focus on and work on people who are either for it, or at least who will listen AND who have power.
A number of points :
1. Nobody in power (county councils, Fáilte Ireland Leader, etc.) considers south Sligo and east Mayo to be of tourism interest, i.e. these areas are not seen as attractive for tourism investment.
2. Nobody in the tourism hub of Westport (who have the ear of Fáilte Ireland in the west) will bother supporting this, as they will see it as potentially taking away some of their tourists.
Given the two points above, I would suggest you focus not only on the Collooney to Claremorris stretch, but equally on the Claremorris to Ballinrobe rail line and then get all that connected over to the Great Western Greenway.
Only then will you begin to garner support from further afield than the villages on the Collooney to Claremorris stretch.

westtip

Connacht wrote: »

Folks,
Forget about (ignore) opponents to this idea. Focus on and work on people who are either for it, or at least who will listen AND who have power.
A number of points :
1. Nobody in power (county councils, Fáilte Ireland Leader, etc.) considers south Sligo and east Mayo to be of tourism interest, i.e. these areas are not seen as attractive for tourism investment.
2. Nobody in the tourism hub of Westport (who have the ear of Fáilte Ireland in the west) will bother supporting this, as they will see it as potentially taking away some of their tourists.
Given the two points above, I would suggest you focus not only on the Collooney to Claremorris stretch, but equally on the Claremorris to Ballinrobe rail line and then get all that connected over to the Great Western Greenway.
Only then will you begin to garner support from further afield than the villages on the Collooney to Claremorris stretch.

take a look at the campaign on facebook there are constant references in posts to the big picture I agree whole heartedly with what you say - the essence of the SMGreenway campaign is to provide the link with the Sligo North Leitrim proposed greenway and indeed as you say to link the SMG with the GWG. Your point about the strength of the Westport lobby is true - the success of the GWG has to be used as the flagship reasoning for this project though - its success has made the SMG campaign a no brainer - we have to address the misinformation put into the market place by the build a railway crowd so some focus and reply and getting the same level of airspace is important - the SMG campaign is very focussed though on the need for this line to be an integral link in the National Cycle Network, the idea is to grow the greenway tourism not to nick the tourists from another part of the county/region.

Eshaness

Even with everything that has happened over the past 5 years with the property collapse and ghost estates, you should never underestimate the level of vested interests in the long term in pushing for more housing development and rezonings in towns along the rail line. As long as the principle that the rail service may (in some -parallel universe!) return it supports the case for promoting further housing development in each of the towns which abut the rail line. I doubt that any of the politicans who are pushing against the greenway have forgotten this either.:rolleyes:
if you read the Sligo County Development Plan (see Core Strategy section) you'll see that the principle of promoting future housing development along the rail corridor is built into future zoning policy for the County.

pat25c

according to CIE's own spokesman the WRC has been shelved for another ten years at least , surely the green way could be build from sligo to athenry & enjoy the revenue that it would bring in & if the funds for the WRC became available, then look @ the situation again , from what i understand CIE would love to have the greenway in place to keep the line maintained & sort out any land claim issue's

eastwest

pat25c wrote: »

according to CIE's own spokesman the WRC has been shelved for another ten years at least , surely the green way could be build from sligo to athenry & enjoy the revenue that it would bring in & if the funds for the WRC became available, then look @ the situation again , from what i understand CIE would love to have the greenway in place to keep the line maintained & sort out any land claim issue's

The part of the so-called WRC that has been shelved for ten years at least is the Athenry-Tuam section, but the building of the Gort-Tuam motorway will kill that off. The pro-rail thinking is that local commuter routes like Tuam-Galway will bring up the numbers on these lines, but who would take a train from Tuam to Galway via Athenry, and then a bus back out the Tuam Road to where most of the jobs are located, when they could hop on a direct bus that traveled on the motorway from Tuam, or on an N17 that will be largely traffic free once the motorway is built? It doesn't stack up, and the blind belief that the Athenry-Tuam link will be rebuilt in the next decade is a mere pipe-dream.
Another pointer to the near future is last week's Transport Bill that dissolved the railway procurement agency and absorbed the remainder of it into the NRA; there are no rail projects planned in the near future if this infrastructure is being dismantled. Add this to Minister Varadkar's more recent statements and you get the picture; no more rail projects anytime soon.
Any logical person will therefore assume that even if we strike oil in massive amounts and the World bank et al forgive all our national debt, the best that can be hoped for by the pro-rail lobby is that Athenry-Tuam is built as a tourist attraction sometime north of 2030. Bringing it further, to Claremorris, is a long shot that is some way beyond that, but bringing it to Collooney was never on any government agenda and is unlikely to be. Even the most hardened anoraks must accept that, surely?
Neglecting the Claremorris-Collooney route and allowing it to fall out of public ownership is about as bad as governance gets. It's up there with bad planing, corruption and some of the general stupidity that has dragged us to where we are over the last couple of decades. Unfortunately, I don't see it getting better anytime soon.