ShaneC1600 wrote: » Why would you want to? Why would you want a greenway beside the railway? I understand along the disussed railway even if its not in a nice scenic area. Its bananas. Who would want to walk or cycle beside an operating railway, we have a wonderful countryside, and a greenway is perfect for showcasing our countryside to tourists but just sticking a greenway beside any old railway is just lazy. Galway has more to offer to tourists and locals than a half ar*ed greenway beside the railway just because a few "greenway on or beside railway leaders" from around the country say its the best we can offer.
Delighted to see that Sinn Fein has come on board the western rail trail campaign. SF TD Martin Kenny pictured yesterday during a photo op with two other pro-greenway TDs, Frank Feighan and Marian Harkin. The TDs were in Leitrim, celebrating the funding given to the trail from Bellaghy to Enniskillen. SF politicians in Sligo and Mayo had in the past been strong opponents of this project, which aims to link the Dublin Galway greenway to the north west via Athenry, Tuam, Claremorris, Kiltimagh, Collooney and Manorhamilton, but it's great to see them supporting it now. Well done to Martin Kenny for firmly nailing his colours to the mast yesterday. He could easily have stayed away, but instead chose to attend and support our campaign. His support is appreciated.
eastwest wrote: » Trains in Ireland are not exactly passing every ten minutes. If a greenway was to be routed in part along the edge of the Dublin Galway alignment it would help get the route established, and nobody would be bothered by the occasional passing train. The cycle path in Monkstown in Dublin is only a few feet from the DART line, and the Royal Canal greenway north of Lucan is just six feet from the nearest rail on the Dublin Sligo line, which also carries a fairly busy commuter service. In both cases, nobody passes a bit of heed of the trains. The thing about trains is that you know they aren't going to stray across the fence and knock you over. Unlike cycleways along main roads, a solution proposed by a number of anti-greenway councillors in respect of the Athlone-Galway route, your family will be dead safe on a parallel greenway. And if the rail report finds in favour of a railway north of Athenry, that's how it should be done, with no more delays. If it doesn't, the cheaper option of the track bed should be implemented without delay, to take advantage of the available funding and indeed to preserve the route for posterity.
Deleted User wrote: » From the Sligo Mayo Greenway Facebook pagehttps://www.facebook.com/398227776918798/posts/4091546237586915/
[Deleted User] wrote: » From the Sligo Mayo Greenway Facebook pagehttps://www.facebook.com/398227776918798/posts/4091546237586915/
ShaneC1600 wrote: » I am not referring to the passing trains or the distance to the rails at all. The scenery is what I am referring to and we have better in Galway. I am not familiar with monkstown cyclepath but I'd imagine its along the coast providing a safe cyclepath for 000's of people with a nice view of the bay? Yes we should take advantage of a parallel greenway when all other avenues are exhausted and for limited lengths but not as a first attempt for an entire stretch of track imo especially if we are selling it as a tourist attraction.
eastwest wrote: » So you don't support all the funding, just the bit that applies to Collooney to Enniskillen?
[Deleted User] wrote: » I hear people going on about scenery a lot in relation to greenways and yes, its a great thing to have but it is not the most important thing in relation to greenways, not by a long way. The safe, segregated route itself is the primary attraction Having a nice view makes it easy to market, but you will have people using it regardless simply because its away from motorised traffic
ezstreet5 wrote: » Highly misleading FB post. There is no need to stretch the truth an extra 125km. The €300,000 grant to Sligo Co. Council is for "Preliminary Design and Environmental Evaluation for a 35.5 km from Cooloney Sligo to Bellaghy Cavan." It has nothing to do with any phase of the WRC or any part of the line from Athenry to Colloney.
westtip wrote: » Have to disagree with you on this one and would refer you to the already completed feasibility study done on the line from collooney to bellaghy/charlestown which only concerned itself with a greenway on said closed railway route. So yes it does cover part of the so called western rail corridor on the closed line north of Charlestown to Collooney which is a large part of the line from athenry to collooney.
mayo.mick wrote: » Ahh, this old chestnut ( The scenery is what I am referring to ). It really sickens me hole when I hear this. Alright, I travel all around Mayo, Ireland in fact, I don't take much notice of the scenery. At least. anywhere I've been before. Think of the tourists though, its all scenic to them, completely different to what there're used to. I was in NY (a few times) but I remember the 1st time I was in Times Square. That was scenic to me, coming from the west of Ireland. Went back at night time to get some photos, spent a couple of hours there shooting*. That, was scenic to me. What would a New Yorker, from the 86th floor of a building in Manhattan think of our "non scenery" in East Mayo???*It was funny actually, I nearly got arrested that night, sitting on a little island about 2ft wide in the middle of the road, in the middle of Times Square. Who pulled up beside me, in the cop car, a Mayo NY cop from Claremorris!
ShaneC1600 wrote: » Equally sickens me own hole when people want to sell out what we can offer. If an asphelt surface with a few bench seats between athenry and Claremorris is the best you want for a greenway good for you. I believe we can offer more. I too travel Ireland for work and pleasure doing adventure racing and I walk that particular stretch of track frequently. It offers nothing, the towns it passes offer very little and a greenway will not improve that, these towns need to improve what they offer and a few coffee shops and bike shops really won't suffice. And as for not taking much notice of scenery, I'd well believe you are in the minority especially when it comes to enjoying greenways. If the scenery is all the same to tourists why do areas of pure natural beauty in Ireland out perform other areas? Why are the greenways in areas of real beauty always used as the champions of irish greenways?
[Deleted User] wrote: » As mentioned, already, scenery is important yes, but it is only one element. Please stop trying to paint it as more than it is. The protected route, away from motorised traffic, is the main draw. Regardless of whatever else it might offer, if it is that., it will attract users. I for one think the scenery around rural Ireland is beautiful no matter where you are. Green fields, forests, lakes, mountains, rivers, bogs, its all good in my book.
Pete_Cavan wrote: » Why all this focus on tourism? I see greenways first and foremost as a facility for locals serving both a recreational amenity and a transport option. There is obviously a tourist element to them but that isn't exclusively from Americans in search of Paddywackery. There is a significant domestic tourism market of people who want to get enjoy a leisurely cycle and out into nature for anything from a few hours to several days. There are plenty of people who want to cycle multiple different greenways and are not just focused on tourist areas. As cycling culture develops in this country, there will be more and more people looking for different stretches of greenway to cycle, even if only for a day or two.
ShaneC1600 wrote: » Fair enough but spending over 10 million on a greenway for the locals is some spend considering the same activists say there isn’t the population for an actual transport option. The promises of a tourist bonanza for the towns may well not come to fruition! Especially considering lots of GAA clubs have already provided safe and secure walkways around their grounds, meaning the spend is more for local cyclists!
Pete_Cavan wrote: » . Not that I think this will happen.
Pete_Cavan wrote: » If €10m on a greenway is some spend, what is over 10 times that on a railway? I don't think anyone is claiming there would be a "tourist bonanza", rather there will be moderate tourism benefits but will be greater than either just leaving the line to rot or having a couple of trains a day proving a very slow service. A track around a GAA pitch is in no way comparable to a greenway.
ShaneC1600 wrote: » A protected route away from cars and trucks is what will attract users one poster stated so a path around GAA grounds fits that bill for walkers and in truth, in my own GAA ground, this simple attraction does indeed bring locals to walk the route, it becomes very busy during juvenile training. You say “moderate tourist attraction”, I have seen on a greenway Facebook page other descriptions on how big a game changer this will be. I think moderate is a fair prediction in fairness.
Pete_Cavan wrote: » I'm sure the poster you are referring to also mentioned or implied distance being a factor (and no, constantly going round the same few hundred metres isn't sufficient) in what attracts users. It is well proven that greenways attract more people and from further away than a simple path around GAA pitches. I'm sure you well know this and are just twisting words. Paths around GAA pitches are great, my club runs popular walking/jogging sessions which attracts people of all levels of fitness and some parents use it to get some exercise in while their child is training, but it is a completely different kettle of fish to a greenway. Even a moderate tourist attraction could have an impact in some of the towns around the route. Bringing more people there regularly, while not doing anything to put off people who might visit anyway.
ShaneC1600 wrote: » its a hell of a lot of money (€10,000,000 +) for a few cyclists and longer distance runners imo?
ShaneC1600 wrote: » Funny thing is I will use it when/if it is built for both leisure with the family and training as I can get to it nearly as quick as getting to the local GAA walkway
ShaneC1600 wrote: » I am not playing with words, I am saying it how it is. I know what a greenway offers, I did not imply a track around a pitch is in some way comparable to a greenway, I only stated it offers what the other poster wanted from a greenway (Safe and secure). But now that you mention it, 5 or 6 laps of the local GAA ground (some of these offerings are quite substantial) for a 5k run/walk vs a drive to the greenway to run/walk 2.5k and back? Fairly similar really when you think about it considering the recommended walking time per day is 30 min. "Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Surgeon General's recommendation to log at least 30 minutes of moderate activity most days of the week". If the greenway is not directed at tourists with only moderate tourist uptake and local offerings have safe and secure walkways along the route that you might have to go around 4 or 5 times its a hell of a lot of money (€10,000,000 +) for a few cyclists and longer distance runners imo? Funny thing is I will use it when/if it is built for both leisure with the family and training as I can get to it nearly as quick as getting to the local GAA walkway
Deleted User wrote: » Thankfully, the same opinion is not held by councils or govt dept's who recognise that greenways have a very quick payback period with returns through VAT on increased purchases in areas they are located in addition to increased PAYE, PRSI & USC from the increased employment they bring into rural communities.
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