Would you travel to use a velorail?

Animella

Not sure where to post this! Can't find a tourism forum so thought I'd ask cyclists.
Work has started on a velorail project in Kiltimagh, east Mayo. It is to be the first in Ireland or Britain.
Michael Ring has promised €180,000 for the initiative and those in favour say it could up to 30,000 people annually?! Seems a bit optimistic to me.
Honestly, would you come to east Mayo to pay to pedal a cart along 6k of disused railway track?

Pinch Flat

I saw one of these in east France a few years ago when on holidays and regret not using this.

I always thought the mullingar greenway was suitable for this as well, given the old railway line that runs along a lot of its length.

To get back to your original query, it's unlikely I'd travel specifically to use it, but if in the area I'd give it a go.

CramCycle

Same here, I wouldn't travel to use it but if I was in the area I would not miss it.

TooObvious

Connacht Telegraph suggests it's 13km long. Like the previous posters, i couldn't see myself travelling to this, but it has great potential for a good day out "for all the family!" If i was in the area with the kids I'd certainly make them come with me! If nothing it'll build character, especially in the rain.

Moflojo

Is there a greenway track running alongside the velorail or is it just the rail? If there's no greenway too then the velorail seems like a waste of money to me. A good greenway would have much greater cost/benefit ratio and would be open to anyone who wanted to walk or cycle it, rather than having to pay to use the velorail.

Esroh

I'm in SouthMayo and not having kids I can't see me heading off just for this.
Why they are not having a Greenway beside it is the real Question.
Cynical me sees Ml Ring/Westport happy to spend money on a 6km length of velorail so the Sligo /Tuam greenway has a big obstacle at half way

Macy0161

If we were in the area with the children we'd probably give it ago, and relive the arguments we have in those pedalo swan yokes...

Wouldn't see us in the area without a greenway or some other attraction though, so as a stand alone I couldn't see us going especially.

topcat77

Is this an escalation of his battle with Michael Healy-Rae "WHOSE TOWN IS THE WORLD CAPITAL OF TOURISM"

http://www.eveningecho.ie/national-news/tds-in-angry-exchange-over-whose-town-is-the-world-capital-of-tourism/2634488/

Animella

http://www.advertiser.ie/mayo/article/75789/velorail-could-bring-major-tourism-boost-to-kiltimagh

Animella

Moflojo wrote: »

Is there a greenway track running alongside the velorail or is it just the rail? If there's no greenway too then the velorail seems like a waste of money to me. A good greenway would have much greater cost/benefit ratio and would be open to anyone who wanted to walk or cycle it, rather than having to pay to use the velorail.

There are no official plans for a greenway track. Agree that a greenway alongside would make much more sense. A stand alone velorail would be a short term novelty but not something people would do regularly, particularly because of the cost.
I think there's probably a good reason there has never been a velorail in Ireland before , it's not really something you'd do in the rain.

A greenway would be of benefit to locals as well as to tourists. I think the numbers of visitors projected is wildly optimistic!! As those of you who replied have agreed, it's an activity you might do if you happened to be around Kiltimagh, but not one you'd make a special journey to.

Animella

Esroh wrote: »

I'm in SouthMayo and not having kids I can't see me heading off just for this.
Why they are not having a Greenway beside it is the real Question.
Cynical me sees Ml Ring/Westport happy to spend money on a 6km length of velorail so the Sligo /Tuam greenway has a big obstacle at half way

k

Yup! While the same day he announced the money for the velorail, he promised more to Achill to extend the greenway there. One policy for East Mayo and another for West Mayo

Kaisr Sose

Parish pump stuff. No way this would justify major investment. A far better idea would be a nationwide network of cycling paths like they have in the UK. This has to be one of the best uses of Lottery funding towards sports/leisure ever. Anything like what is proposed here will just result in a continuation of the fragmented, short-sighted and local nature of all infrastructure upgrades. It's a wonder that we don't have two different railway gauges in Ireland - that's how disjointed thinking is here.

Esroh

Animella wrote: »

k

Yup! While the same day he announced the money for the velorail, he promised more to Achill to extend the greenway there. One policy for East Mayo and another for West Mayo

One policy for County Westport and another for Mayo. Even the idea of Galway-Clifden and the work on the Galway part of the Westernway is all part of a Route to join up with the GW Greenway . Mayo greenway plan is to open Killala to Ballina, Foxford to Tourlough and back to Westport via Castlebar. Mayo Co.Co.
Velorail only is as said above a novelty which will be used as an example of how a greenway will not work.
The potential of Athenry -Sligo and onto Donegal just not going to happen while Westport has Ml Ring .

Moflojo

Kaisr Sose wrote: »

Parish pump stuff. No way this would justify major investment. A far better idea would be a nationwide network of cycling paths like they have in the UK. This has to be one of the best uses of Lottery funding towards sports/leisure ever. Anything like what is proposed here will just result in a continuation of the fragmented, short-sighted and local nature of all infrastructure upgrades. It's a wonder that we don't have two different railway gauges in Ireland - that's how disjointed thinking is here.

I would be interested to know what the cost:benefit ratio of the velorail is compared to a standard greenway. That is to say, whether the money being spent on 12km of velorail would go further on a greenway project. Could you get 30km of greenway for the same cost? More?

Esroh

Kaisr Sose wrote: »

Parish pump stuff. No way this would justify major investment. A far better idea would be a nationwide network of cycling paths like they have in the UK. This has to be one of the best uses of Lottery funding towards sports/leisure ever. Anything like what is proposed here will just result in a continuation of the fragmented, short-sighted and local nature of all infrastructure upgrades. It's a wonder that we don't have two different railway gauges in Ireland - that's how disjointed thinking is here.

The Western Rail Corridor is a single track with very little room either side for a greenway ie Mullingar-Moate. Mayo and Galway county development plans continue to include support for its reopening from Athenry to Sligo. The Velo rail is on the Kiltimagh Spur line so Mayo Co.Co. are only backing it as it means protecting the rail line.
Everybody knows that the Railline is Dead(Irish rail want to give over the land rights to someone) but West on Track is a strong political Lobby group .
Westport and West Mayo do not want a Greenway that will bypass them and are also politically strong.
Once a greenway is built on any of it then the dream is dies .

Kaisr Sose

I have to admit I am clueless as to the local issues here
Turning a railway lineinto a leisure rail type thing to keep it open also means the dream of network rail connectivity is gone...

...railway lines are for trains. Not velorail projects. If the railway line is not commercially viable as a railway, it would be better to turn it into a footpath or cycle lane. Anything else is just a waste of tax payers money.