current status of dublin to galway greenway

mr spuckler · 21-09-2015 10:26am

i looked over the various bridges as i crossed the canal on friday to see what the paths were like and that far up (maynooth, kilcock, enfield) are suitable for walking only. there isn't even a rough gravel path that you might be able to navigate so at best would be extremely slow going and involve some walking. either way it's not signed as a cycling facility. as a hiker as well as cyclist, i hate seeing cyclists using dedicated walking trails!

btw i didn't manage to head any further back up the royal canal way yesterday, was feeling very weak after friday and needed to get back to dublin relatively early so just headed by the main road.

Weepsie · 21-09-2015 11:33am

Alright, one for the future so. Ill try and do the little stretch that good anyway.

galwaycyclist · 21-09-2015 11:59am

dfdream wrote: »

What will be the rules of these cycle ways.
Are they listed somewhere ?
(speeds restrictions, lanes, lighting, safety, overtaking etc)
They dont look wide so I assume they are not for club spins two a breast.

Dont look wide enough...

They will be a public road that is closed to motorised traffic so the usual rules that apply to vehicles will apply. Keep left, don't travel at a speed exceeding your ability to stop and so on.

However it is likely that many users will be small kids with a limited understanding of rules. They will also be shared with pedestrians.

So not a place for people looking to put up times.

kildarecommuter · 23-09-2015 4:57pm

I hear there will be a"Old Rail Cycle Challenge" Mullingat -Athlone -Mullingar on 18th October in aid of LARRC

Fian · 23-09-2015 6:04pm

Will this be feasible as a route from dublin for spin out and back? What i mean is when it is completed will it be a nice route to take as an alternative to heading out into wicklow/mountains? How easy will it be to access and how crowded is it likely to be?

Is there any estimate on when the link from Dublin to Mulingar is likely to be completed? Cycling off road near a canal sounds like a lovely relaxed spin.

mr spuckler · 23-09-2015 9:08pm

possibly although i think in general its intended for more leisure / tourism use.

either way kildare co co don't expect to have funding until 2017 at earliest for their stretch so you might be waiting a while!

Donie75 · 24-09-2015 9:24am

Any update on the Garrycastle to Moate section? I'm hoping to try it out this weekend.

Donie75 · 26-09-2015 6:23pm

Got out for a look at the Athlone Moate end today. Went to Garrycastle for a look but there appeared to be no access. Cycled over to Moate and got on near Dun Na Si park. Cycled eastwards but it was well boarded up at the old Moate station. There was a Garda jeep at the other side so I turned around and headed back towards Athlone. About 5km from Garrycastle I came across the Surfacing machinery and the surface changed to the sub-layer of Tarmac. Then 3 or 4 km from Garrycastle it turned to a tar dressing with a layer of very fine gravel and then compacted base material. I had 25mm tyres on my road bike so no issue. The finished surface is amazing, really smooth and grippy and very flat.
I'm going to cycle over to Moate and join the greenway and head further east tomorrow. Definitely think this will be great for winter training at night with good lights.

Donie75 · 06-10-2015 1:05pm

I saw a photo on Facebook this morning showing the tarmacing equipment arriving at Garrycastle. So the surface is complete the whole was as far as i know. I think the official opening is in the next fortnight.
Hope to get out for a decent look this weekend.

bog_savage · 06-10-2015 3:13pm

Opening October 18th

Ryath · 06-10-2015 3:39pm

Did to Moate to Mullingar and carried on for a bit on the canal past Mullingar for a few k. They've put these up though in the last few days at least 6 sets between Athlone they're tighter than I thought they would be. Hard work for anyone with a trailer or on a hand-cycle.

Swamp3 · 06-10-2015 7:42pm

Ryath wrote: »

Did to Moate to Mullingar and carried on for a bit on the canal past Mullingar for a few k. They've put these up though in the last few days at least 6 sets between Athlone they're tighter than I thought they would be. Hard work for anyone with a trailer or on a hand-cycle.

I took the Mullingar to Moate section in on the way to work yesterday.
Great surface most of the way. It crosses a few roads near Mount Temple where you have to stop. Had to squeeze through those new wooden gates too.

I didn't meet anyone on the way...well it was 6 in the morning! My new lights worked a treat.

donaghs · 07-10-2015 11:28am

AS much as I like greenways, I guess the Athlone-Mullingar railway line is now gone forever?

loyatemu · 07-10-2015 12:13pm

donaghs wrote: »

AS much as I like greenways, I guess the Athlone-Mullingar railway line is now gone forever?

It's still there in the picture above - not likely to be reopened anytime soon though.

what_traffic · 07-10-2015 12:36pm

Swamp3 wrote: »

Had to squeeze through those new wooden gates too.

Who has installed the gates? The Council, NRA or the contractor. Cannot see the purpose of the one from photo in Ryath's post unless it is not fully finished?

flazio · 07-10-2015 1:56pm

The kissing gates are needed to keep motors and horses off the leisure facility.
Probably won't work if they keep the railway side wide open but still...

Ryath · 07-10-2015 2:40pm

what_traffic wrote: »

Who has installed the gates? The Council, NRA or the contractor. Cannot see the purpose of the one from photo in Ryath's post unless it is not fully finished?

They are mostly at level crossings though a few are at houses whose driveway crosses the greenway. I'd say they mostly just to slow down cyclists crossing junctions. They really don't need to as tight though to slow people down.

flazio wrote: »

The kissing gates are needed to keep motors and horses off the leisure facility.
Probably won't work if they keep the railway side wide open but still...

Am assuming are going to fence them closed at the sides or will they keep the rail section open, they are going to fill the tracks with gravel for walkers?

There's a lot of sh*t from cattle being moved along it near Streamstown and from at least one horse. I guess farmers are entitled to, it would have been a right of way? But horses would be banned.

I don't understand why they are fixed structures either surely they will need to let road sweepers on to them occasionally. There are a lot trees along it and parts are already heavily covered with fallen leaves. An ambulance would all so need to be able to get on, there are sections where you could be a few k from the nearest access point. The mayo greenway kissing gates can be opened fully. Best pic I can find.

what_traffic · 07-10-2015 4:12pm

Ryath wrote: »

I don't understand why they are fixed structures either surely they will need to let road sweepers on to them occasionally. There are a lot trees along it and parts are already heavily covered with fallen leaves. An ambulance would all so need to be able to get on, there are sections where you could be a few k from the nearest access point.

Was thinking the same regards maintenance when I saw your photo. Not having a fixed structure makes sense, as you have pointed out. Bike with panniers or trailers is not going to able to navigate them easily or at all?

12-10-2015 10:19am

So how much of the overall Dublin to Galway greenway is done?

I'd love to try some of this out.

mr spuckler · 14-10-2015 8:51pm

ronoc wrote: »

So how much of the overall Dublin to Galway greenway is done?

I'd love to try some of this out.

relative to the whole length i'd say less than a quarter. it's really just mullingar to athlone that's finished to a high standard. the stretch from the meath / westmeath county border as far as mullingar is also usable and is perfectly fine for a road bike. beyond that it's just a few km in dublin near the city and then separately out towards castleknock than have been done.

no word that i can find on when meath county council get going.
kildare apparently won't have their sh1t in gear to apply for funding before 2017.
athlone to galway stretch is subject to extensive consultation and discussion with farmers as there is no canal or railway line to follow. farmers are fighting back in a big way against CPOs. can assume this is a number of years away from completion.

Carawaystick · 15-10-2015 12:23pm

mr spuckler wrote: »

no word that i can find on when meath county council get going.
kildare apparently won't have their sh1t in gear to apply for funding before 2017.

I think I read (either on Meath or Kildare Coco website) that Kildare CoCo are doing Meath's bit.
It kind of makes sense to just have one CoCo, there's parts of the canal in one county you cant get to from roads in that county and vice versa

expectationlost · 19-10-2015 11:40am

so kenny opens a section wants a national strategy but doesn't mention the problems on the way to galway http://www.irishtimes.com/business/transport-and-tourism/kenny-wants-national-strategy-for-walks-and-trails-1.2396611

alentejo · 20-10-2015 6:50pm

Cycled Mullingar-Athlone-Mullingar today. Slightly under 90Km (as stopped in Athlone proper).

I must say was very impressed with this piece of cycling infrastructure. Quality of finish is superb and the gates are fine. surprised at the numbers using it. Nice change to road cycling and no hills

There is a small section east of Athlone which does not have tarmac, however the line appears to go thru a bog, so I suspect they might wait a year or so before applying a final finish.

Had a nice high average speed of 27km ph for once.

Would recommend to any cyclist

galwaycyclist · 20-10-2015 11:47pm

expectationlost wrote: »

so kenny opens a section wants a national strategy but doesn't mention the problems on the way to galway http://www.irishtimes.com/business/transport-and-tourism/kenny-wants-national-strategy-for-walks-and-trails-1.2396611

Hmm I would not assess anyone's "position" on the basis of what gets printed in the Irish Times. That said, calling for a strategy is in my view implicitly a criticism of the NRA and their approach to such routes. As soon as they get off canals and disused railways they walk into a brick wall. This is even though the NRA were tasked with developing a national cycle network by the previous govt. Instead of coming up with a strategy they have come up with a case study in how not to do such things.

schemingbohemia · 21-10-2015 11:13am

galwaycyclist wrote: »

Hmm I would not assess anyone's "position" on the basis of what gets printed in the Irish Times. That said, calling for a strategy is in my view implicitly a criticism of the NRA and their approach to such routes. As soon as they get off canals and disused railways they walk into a brick wall. This is even though the NRA were tasked with developing a national cycle network by the previous govt. Instead of coming up with a strategy they have come up with a case study in how not to do such things.

I'd love to hear your solution.......

galwaycyclist · 21-10-2015 11:42am

schemingbohemia wrote: »

I'd love to hear your solution.......

In Galway, we already have a model for intense cycling tourism on local country roads.

Its called the Aran Islands.

On Inishmore cycling is the method of choice for tourists exploring the island. They hire bikes near the quay when they get off the ferry and take off. They are using minor country roads shared with local motor traffic.

It works and has been working that way for years.

The key point is that these roads are used by low volumes of motor vehicles on local journeys. There is nobody taking short cuts in cars through Inishmore on their way between Galway and Oranmore/Gort/Limerick etc.

Are we to understand that there is no way that similar traffic conditions can be created on similar roads elsewhere in the county?

loyatemu · 21-10-2015 12:11pm

galwaycyclist wrote: »

In Galway, we already have a model for intense cycling tourism on local country roads.

Its called the Aran Islands.

On Inishmore cycling is the method of choice for tourists exploring the island. They hire bikes near the quay when they get off the ferry and take off. They are using minor country roads shared with local motor traffic.

It works and has been working that way for years.

The key point is that these roads are used by low volumes of motor vehicles on local journeys. There is nobody taking short cuts in cars through Inishmore on their way between Galway and Oranmore/Gort/Limerick etc.

Are we to understand that there is no way that similar traffic conditions can be created on similar roads elsewhere in the county?

The national cycling plan certainly envisages using "lightly trafficed local roads" for some of it's routes. However I'd expect loads of complaints from locals on the grounds of "safety".

schemingbohemia · 21-10-2015 12:23pm

galwaycyclist wrote: »

In Galway, we already have a model for intense cycling tourism on local country roads.

Its called the Aran Islands.

On Inishmore cycling is the method of choice for tourists exploring the island. They hire bikes near the quay when they get off the ferry and take off. They are using minor country roads shared with local motor traffic.

It works and has been working that way for years.

The key point is that these roads are used by low volumes of motor vehicles on local journeys. There is nobody taking short cuts in cars through Inishmore on their way between Galway and Oranmore/Gort/Limerick etc.

Are we to understand that there is no way that similar traffic conditions can be created on similar roads elsewhere in the county?

Just to remind you, the topic is Dublin to Galway greenway, specifically west of Athlone.

So your solution for a cross-country route that can be sold as a destination/trip attractor in its own right is for people to use the roads west of Athlone?

If that were the case wouldn't the country be over-run with touring cyclists already?

So you basically think Fáilte Ireland have got it wrong and that no off-road facility is required to attract cycling tourists and that they've got the marketing wrong and they're ignoring all their own market research?

I bow to your superior knowledge of tourism and the needs of families and cyclists.

galwaycyclist · 21-10-2015 3:30pm

schemingbohemia wrote: »

Just to remind you, the topic is Dublin to Galway greenway, specifically west of Athlone.

So your solution for a cross-country route that can be sold as a destination/trip attractor in its own right is for people to use the roads west of Athlone?

Yes that is how such routes are achieved elsewhere - particularly Germany - they use roads that are still open to local traffic but from which through traffic is excluded.

If that were the case wouldn't the country be over-run with touring cyclists already?

No because we chose not to manage our roads the same way as other European countries. We chose to let anyone drive anywhere anytime. if we had not done this we would now be overrun with touring cyclists.

So you basically think Fáilte Ireland have got it wrong and that no off-road facility is required to attract cycling tourists and that they've got the marketing wrong and they're ignoring all their own market research?

I bow to your superior knowledge of tourism and the needs of families and cyclists.

Enormous straw man there - are we on the back foot? It is possible to build extensive cycling networks without resorting to a new-build cpo "motorway" type approach that is the model the NRA are currently pushing and which has predictably blown up in their faces.

This is recognised in the 2007 Failte Ireland Cycling Strategy which proposed an Irish Cycle Network using "the network of country lanes and roads throughout the country. These roads have been chosen where traffic levels are light and lanes have a line of green grass up the centre".

The National Cycle Policy Framework states that the proposed National Cycle
Network will mainly use a mix of minor roads, and some greenways.

There is nothing to prevent the use of both options in developing routes.

From the outside the current model of pushing compulsory purchase orders through family farms and "new-build" might be seen as pushing large quantities of state funds to civil engineering firms for questionable purpose.

Carawaystick · 22-10-2015 10:29pm

How many national or regional roads are on Árainn?
There's no way to get from Athlone to Galway without crossing some.

galwaycyclist · 23-10-2015 6:21am

Carawaystick wrote: »

How many national or regional roads are on Árainn?
There's no way to get from Athlone to Galway without crossing some.

This issue of crossings remains for the new build greenway that the NRA wants to push through family farms. They aren't proposing flyovers or tunnels at every regional road.

There are many roads in the country that are not regional or national roads and could be managed to the benefit of local communities and cycling tourism instead of for the benefit of people passing through in cars.

flazio · 24-10-2015 7:19pm

Sunny Dayz wrote: »

Myself and the young lad went on the cycle track from Moate to Athlone and back. Long time since I've been on a bike but we enjoyed it. It's well done, I'd imagine the view would get boring after a few trips on it. The Tarmac surface was good, gravel bit was a bit tougher.
Would have liked km markers along the route just to know how we were getting along. Also maybe a little bench here and there to sit on for a drink or a packed lunch, especially if you have a child or are just very leisurely!
Thanks to the few "proper" cyclists who gave us a few tips as they passed us by

Picked this up from the thread on the Westmeath forum. I hope we are all getting along on this family amenity.

kildarecommuter · 30-10-2015 9:43am

RTE news this morning saying Minister has now withdrawn funding for Athlone-Galway section due to objections from Landowners and is instead funding the project in Cos Meath & Kildare.

mr spuckler · 30-10-2015 11:51am

kildarecommuter wrote: »

RTE news this morning saying Minister has now withdrawn funding for Athlone-Galway section due to objections from Landowners and is instead funding the project in Cos Meath & Kildare.

yes saw that earlier, i don't know though if planning is in place or what's needed? hopefully they get going on it fairly soon, my main concern is getting dublin to athlone finished as that's the only bit i'll use for the most part!

traprunner · 30-10-2015 12:17pm

http://www.newstalk.com/Work-on-RoscommonGalway-cycle-greenway-paused-amid-concerns-of-local-farmers

mr spuckler · 30-10-2015 1:13pm

mr spuckler wrote: »

yes saw that earlier, i don't know though if planning is in place or what's needed? hopefully they get going on it fairly soon, my main concern is getting dublin to athlone finished as that's the only bit i'll use for the most part!

and to answer my own question, it looks like planning is in place which is great news.

http://www.independent.ie/irish-news/news/plan-for-cycle-route-from-dublin-to-galway-halted-by-landowners-objections-34154096.html

Moflojo · 30-10-2015 2:44pm

Objections put brakes on cycleway from Dublin to Galway
Work on 145km section is paused by Minister after objections from farmers along route

Landowner objections have caused the postponement of development of the Galway-Athlone section of the Dublin-Galway Greenway.

This crap really grinds my gears. Either the landowners are being p***ks or the authorities f**ked up the planning and construction process. Either way, the greater good of Irish society is not being served.

From today's Irish Times:

Esroh · 30-10-2015 3:50pm

Has a map of the proposed route been published showing where the need for CPOs were needed.
The old main road from Athlone to Galway has ample room for bicycle infrastructure and villages like kilreekel and Craughwell could benifit. Why is it that everything must be off road as in completely seperated.
You can drive the old road now from Oranmore to Loughrea and count the number of cars you meet.

schemingbohemia · 30-10-2015 4:10pm

lots of info here
http://www.galwaytodublincycleway.ie/#!athlone-castle-to-galway-city/c1zst

cuculainn · 30-10-2015 4:24pm

Esroh wrote: »

Has a map of the proposed route been published showing where the need for CPOs were needed.
The old main road from Athlone to Galway has ample room for bicycle infrastructure and villages like kilreekel and Craughwell could benifit. Why is it that everything must be off road as in completely seperated.
You can drive the old road now from Oranmore to Loughrea and count the number of cars you meet.

A sh*t load of cars and trucks....I cycle it regularly unfortunately and that road is no tourist amenity!

mr spuckler · 30-10-2015 4:26pm

Esroh wrote: »

Has a map of the proposed route been published showing where the need for CPOs were needed.
The old main road from Athlone to Galway has ample room for bicycle infrastructure and villages like kilreekel and Craughwell could benifit. Why is it that everything must be off road as in completely seperated.
You can drive the old road now from Oranmore to Loughrea and count the number of cars you meet.

cycling old main roads which are still used by large amounts of traffic doesn't tie well in with the idea of greenways. a lot of cars and especially trucks are using the old main roads to avoid tolls.
i cycled dublin to athlone recently using both the new greenway for stretches and the main road and there's a very big difference in comfort & enjoyment!

BannerBarry · 30-10-2015 4:29pm

Is there any plans to do other cycle routes in the country?
The Burren cycle would be ideal also and would bring some tourism our way

galwaycyclist · 30-10-2015 4:42pm

cuculainn wrote: »

A sh*t load of cars and trucks....I cycle it regularly unfortunately and that road is no tourist amenity!

Plus it still has a 100kmh limit - which pushes up the noise - and the spray from passing trucks.

Thargor · 30-10-2015 4:58pm

Well thats the Galway route dead in the water for a few years anyway. Theres no point marketing routes like this to tourists though, there is literally nothing on them, its just a flat blank straight stretch with bushes and fields either side. Ive done the Grand Canal which has some sights to see and towns to visit and even that was more entertaining as an endurance test for myself, a lot of it was just flat blank landscape that would leave a tourist thinking they've wasted their money coming to Ireland, the Dublin-Galway greenway is even worse than that.

They should have taken a braver approach and spent some serious money making the Wild Atlantic Way completely safe for cyclists, same for the Ring of Kerry and basically the whole South Coast. Market it well and it could have become an actual destination and would have paid for itself many times over, have a look at the cafes in the middle of nowhere packed with cyclists in Wicklow for half the year.

I love cycling and I live in Dublin with family in Galway and Im struggling to think of a reason to do this, I can think of more interesting routes on existing roads if I wanted to do that cycle. I suppose all it has going for it is that its probably flat so easy going but thats not necessarily what serious cyclists want either...

ford2600 · 30-10-2015 5:03pm

Moflojo wrote: »

This crap really grinds my gears. Either the landowners are being p***ks or the authorities f**ked up the planning and construction process. Either way, the greater good of Irish society is not being served.

While Local Authority/NRA incompetence is not unlikely or an awkward farmer or two; it's probably not that simple.

A lane way up the middle of a farm, in particular dairy farms, is a massive disruption on a daily basis along with problems with disease control/insurance/ access etc.

The solution is typically good quality fencing with a lot of over/under passes. With a combination of issues arising from making paths in compliance with requirements of wheelchair users and the design accounting for heavy machinery this solution gets very expensive very quickly.

While it easy to label all farmers as Bull McCabe types, it's probably a lot more complicated than that. I've no doubt there's a Bull or two in the mix though, but from my experience of similar projects most farmer's have reasonable objections.

schemingbohemia · 30-10-2015 5:46pm

Thargor wrote: »

They should have taken a braver approach and spent some serious money making the Wild Atlantic Way completely safe for cyclists, same for the Ring of Kerry and basically the whole South Coast.

How?

bonaparte2 · 30-10-2015 6:28pm

ford2600 wrote: »

The solution is typically good quality fencing with a lot of over/under passes. With a combination of issues arising from making paths in compliance with requirements of wheelchair users and the design accounting for heavy machinery this solution gets very expensive very quickly.

.

Bang on the money.

That is the solution. And its not all that expensive.

BarryD · 31-10-2015 11:26am

I'd be guessing that maybe part of the problem here is lack of initial consultation with landowners, who then get in a huff. The minister said yesterday that the aim was to have as much as possible of the route in public ownership to keep costs down, so it was likely approached with that mindset. The problems that the landowners were raising on the news last night are hardly impossible to address - gates can be automated so the chap doesn't have to climb down from his cab (though the exercise mightn't do any harm!) and security concerns are groundless. It's not the case that gurriers from Dublin are going to come along on high speed bikes and nick generators. More people about would mean greater public watchfulness and reduce farmer isolation at same time. The people on these Greenways are athletic types, families, local people - not thieves. Can't think what other problem or issue could arise except perhaps for a desire for payment?

loyatemu · 31-10-2015 1:40pm

ford2600 wrote: »

A lane way up the middle of a farm, in particular dairy farms, is a massive disruption on a daily basis along with problems with disease control/insurance/ access etc.

I haven't seen the map, but it would be easier to use existing local boreens and run the greenway on the other side of the hedgerows. That way you're not creating a new route or dividing farms up.

Qualitymark · 31-10-2015 1:46pm

BarryD wrote: »

I'd be guessing that maybe part of the problem here is lack of initial consultation with landowners, who then get in a huff.

…

Can't think what other problem or issue could arise except perhaps for a desire for payment?

The gombeen spirit is alive and well in rural Ireland.

current status of dublin to galway greenway

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