Royal Canal Greenway

jonnybravo

NickNickleby wrote: »

Thanks beauf. After dark might be a consideration come winter, depending on what is eventually decided about the clocksðŸ˜.
Cheers.[/QUO

I cycle during the dark in winter months and it's fine. You just need a very good light as the road is rough and to avoid people walking along. But again it'd be normally between 5.30 and 6.30 and I don't think I'd go along it much later.

beauf

Lot more housing on it around Ashtown/Rathborne/Royal Canal Park now occupied since I did it. Also there's the new Luas Terminius at BroomBridge. So it might be busier now.

It only about 12mins on the bicycle.

NickNickleby

Thanks again JonnyBravo and Beauf.

Very positive vibes there! I have to admit, I'm not a cyclist, but rather a commuter who uses a bike. But come the summer, I might skip work and keep pedalling some fine sunny day! This thread would be a great marketing tool for whatever authority promotes the greenwway.

beauf

In fairness it sells it self. Once they extend it to the docklands and do the Castleknock/ coolmine bit it will be amazing.

beauf

It would a great option from D15. But in Dublin 15 the cycling routes are disjointed and that probably puts people off.

If you type of person who likes to explore and trying different routes it's not so bad.

Hurrache

NickNickleby wrote: »

Thanks again JonnyBravo and Beauf.

Very positive vibes there! I have to admit, I'm not a cyclist, but rather a commuter who uses a bike. But come the summer, I might skip work and keep pedalling some fine sunny day! This thread would be a great marketing tool for whatever authority promotes the greenwway.

There's a great thread on the Cycling forum with regular updates on its condition, plus reports on many who have cycled into the depths of the heart of Ireland via the greenway.

Mercian Pro

Hurrache wrote: »

There's a great thread on the Cycling forum with regular updates on its condition, plus reports on many who have cycled into the depths of the heart of Ireland via the greenway.

https://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2057747877

donaghs

Is there not already a path there? Lots of walkers use the canals paths already.

Do you mean a hard cycling surface?

I see a hard tarmac path has been rejected for the river barrow route, in favor of the existing natural paths
https://m.herald.ie/news/byrne-overjoyed-as-hardcore-barrow-track-bid-rejected-38007655.html

Mercian Pro

donaghs wrote: »

Is there not already a path there? Lots of walkers use the canals paths already.

Do you mean a hard cycling surface?

I see a hard tarmac path has been rejected for the river barrow route, in favor of the existing natural paths
https://m.herald.ie/news/byrne-overjoyed-as-hardcore-barrow-track-bid-rejected-38007655.html

Both canals and sections of the Barrow would have originally had paved towpaths but these became overgrown through disuse. When the grass is cut from time to time, these are fine for walking and mountain biking but slow and uncomfortable on normal bikes and impossible for wheelchairs or buggies.
National and county policies are to upgrade these paths so that they can be used by a wide range of people including long-distance and commuter cyclists. Work on the Royal Canal west of Maynooth will be completed in a few months, a lot remains to be done on the Grand Canal and plans for the Barrow received a serious setback from Bord Pleanala. It had been intended to use narrow quarry dust paths on the Barrow but the Bord reckoned that these could lead to pollution and health and safety issues.
Waterway Ireland's policy on the canals seems to be to use quarry dust on more rural sections and tarmac near towns and cities.

Remind me

Not sure where the greenway currently stands but the wall which was at the side of the entrance to Coolmine Station has been removed and the Lads working on it say it is for the widening of the path along the canal.

Is this a test run of sorts to see if it would be suitable for that side of the canal?

Mercian Pro

Remind me wrote: »

Not sure where the greenway currently stands

Decided to get on to Fingal to find out what if anything was happening and got this reply a few days later:

Following the public engagement earlier in 2019 for the Royal Canal Urban Greenway Fingal County Council and its consultant have reviewed the 600 or so submissions received. Further surveys were also carried out later in 2019 to further clarify what will be the preferred route. A lot of the submissions received were in relation to the deep sinking area and many of the surveys and preliminary design are focused on that section. More detailed Topographical surveys were carried out along with some environmental surveys. Site investigation works are due to take place early in 2020 which will take 2 to 3 months. Following this the design will be advanced in agreement with the National Transport Authority and Waterways Ireland and Irish rail will also be consulted with. It will be a few months before the design is ready to present to the next public engagement for the emerging preferred route. Following the next public engagement a decision will be made on what planning application is made. Depending on the complexity/ impact of the route a decision will be made on what planning process will be used. If the route has reduced environmental impact it will be via part 8. Otherwise it will be via an application to An Bord Pleanala.

beauf

Thanks for the update. I can't wait for it. That said I've been off the bike for a while but I won't be holding my breath for this Greenway.

I wish they had a cycle super highway around Dublin 15 bringing you to the park then city center. That will be the route most will take as it's more direct.

That said I enjoyed the canal route when I used it. Felt that you were in a different country. Somewhere that's in 2020. Hacking through the traffic feels like 1970s.

tnegun

Anyone know whats up with the Maynooth to Confey section? Some work was done last year but is far from complete lots wasn't touched and only short stretch from Intel towards Leixlip was done.

Mercian Pro

tnegun wrote: »

Anyone know whats up with the Maynooth to Confey section? Some work was done last year but is far from complete lots wasn't touched and only short stretch from Intel towards Leixlip was done.

From your own post on Royal Canal on a Road Bike!!

" Maynooth to Carton is narrow and rough lots of large stones jutting out of the path. Carton to Intel/Pike bridge is narrow too and just a grass track. Pike Bridge to the dual carriageway bridge was redone and is wide but the crushed stone wasn't compacted properly so is difficult going on a bike as you plough through it. Then its a narrow mucky path with large stones again to Louisa Bridge, from Louisa Bridge to Confey some sections have been filled with large gravel to level them making for difficult cycling and again the path is narrow muddy and full of large stones. This section is a far cry from the work that was done west of Maynooth."

tnegun

After posting I made a point of cycling it when I had a chance and that's the current condition of it. From the Greenway page it says 8km of it was done but only a small section was completed and maybe some prep work on parts of the rest which is why I asked what was up with it? Did something stop work progressing on the rest?

Thargor

Can I be a lazy sod and just ask where I should get a train to to do a 100km cycle back to Dublin? How about a 50km aswell in case I have a colleague with me who doesn't cycle as much?

Also any reccomended food stops to aim for?

And finally is it okay to take off on our mountain bikes now or should we wait a few months for the work to catch up a bit? As in are there any currently impassible bits?

Hurrache

Pop over to the Cycling forum, there's a big thread pretty much the same title with all the info you ask, trains, times, food stops etc.

Thargor

Oh crap I came here from Google, thought this was cycling...

Remind me

Drilling is talking place on both sides to see what's best, councilors have also voted in favour of it being on the south side of the canal

A Knight of Ireland

Remind me wrote: »

Drilling is talking place on both sides to see what's best, councilors have also voted in favour of it being on the south side of the canal

So the greenway would totally on the south side of the canal the whole way ??

Former Former

A Knight of Ireland wrote: »

So the greenway would totally on the south side of the canal the whole way ??

The decision doesn't lie with the councillors though, it's Fingal's parks department along with Waterways Ireland. The councillors can only make recommendations afaik.

Mercian Pro

A Knight of Ireland wrote: »

So the greenway would totally on the south side of the canal the whole way ??

The proposal that was published last year was to divert onto the north bank shortly after Castleknock station and to stay on that side through the Deep Sinking as far as Porterstown Road where it would link into the path that is already on the north bank.


There was a fair bit of local opposition to this so it will be interesting to see what will be proposed in the next round of consultations later this year. The process for this is set out in post #342 and everyone will get their chance to submit their views to the Council again.

A Knight of Ireland

I heard this morning that the Canal path between Castleknock train station and Coolmine train station is closed from 8am - 6pm daily for the next couple of weeks as the council are assessing the path? Anyone know when they are planning on starting construction of this essential amenity??

beauf

Where did you hear that.

I've heard its quite busy with people. Its impossible to social distance on that path, you have to squeeze past each other. Maybe its simply that.

tnegun

The mixed cycle/walking greenways are a disaster for social distancing near any built up areas or it's certainly been my experience near Maynooth haven't been near it in weeks as a result.

Hurrache

You're right, the greenway from Ashtown to past Broombridge heading towards the city has been awful since the schools closed, I stopped using it as a result until the full lock down came along.

beauf

I've tried finding the lesser known trails to get the kids out more interesting places on the bikes. They all have people on them in places I've never met anyone before. So I've stopped trying.
Neighbours have reported the same.

Somewhere like Catherine's park would have more space for social distancing. But it is (was) closed to cars.

Hurrache

I was wondering about Catherine's park, it's vast with plenty of space, apart from the trail through the forest.

beauf

That trail is awesome.

But its pretty fantastic resource overall.

checky88

A Knight of Ireland wrote: »

I heard this morning that the Canal path between Castleknock train station and Coolmine train station is closed from 8am - 6pm daily for the next couple of weeks as the council are assessing the path? Anyone know when they are planning on starting construction of this essential amenity??

Yeah just passed it at coolmine and the path is blocked with a sign saying closed for investigative work