True, but by the same measure you could say the same if comparing Athlone to Galway or Galway to Dublin.
Don't get me wrong, I get where you are coming from, I'm just not sure at what point you draw the line at a size and say everything above x is to be considered a center of employment for the area if you're trying to say a route is primarily tourist or primarily active travel
IMHO opinion it doesn't make any difference and removing Failite Ireland from the equation just means all routes are treated the same. Where potential for tourism opportunities exist, they should be explored and exploited but I wouldn't try make a hard rule around it.
To give another example, I lived in Athenry for several years and was really hoping to see a greenway built which would have allowed me to cycle from there to Galway for work. It would have been about 22/25km depending on the route but I was legit looking at it as a viable option for commuting. Granted there wouldn't be a huge amount that would look to do the same but for me it would have been an active travel route, for others it would have been a tourist route.
This is kinda what I was getting at when I said a distance of X means different things to different people
I'm pretty sure that the businesses and locals in Moycullen and Oughterard aren't deluded enough to believe that their villages are "centres of employment" comparable to Athlone or Tralee.
I'm sure the businesses and locals in those places would disagree. I still say it would be too subjective though but I take your point
See the first part of my rule for that conundrum - I don't think that Moycullen or Oughterard are "centres of employment".
What about the folks who live in Moycullen and work in Oughterard or vice versa?
Not at all - it's perfectly possible to set a reasonable average. I think that 15K sounds about right.
The point of the rule would be to decide which pot the funding comes out of. So take, for instance, the Galway To Oughterard Greenway, which is currently being planned. The total distance may be about 25K or more. But the first 10K will get you to Moycullen. In this case then, to secure funding, you could break the project into an Active Travel part (as far as Moycullen) and a tourism part (from Moycullen to Oughterard).
[Obviously the 10K distance to Moycullen is less than the limit I suggested above. However, the village of Moycullen is an obvious point at which to split it.]
Ya public park/amenity is their true focus. They would bring a decent amount of local tourism though. People going Limerick city to west Limerick and that sort of thing.
With the odd exception where the Greenway is very scenic such as the Great Western Greenway (or parts of Waterford) I don't really see that their primary focus should be tourism.
Some will fall under active transport to varying degrees but I suspect most will get used similar to a public park of which we lack a lot of in Ireland. Basically somewhere to go for a walk or bring the kids for a safe cycle.
With more being built I suspect people may be less likely to drive to others further away as there is no real need.
Only if the Greenway is a more direct route than the road which is often not the case.
Or take the Limerick to UL one. It can way less practical than the road because Greenways are primarily used by walkers and not great for 20/25kph commuters.
You could have such a rule but it would be meaningless as x distance is a grand cycle to work for different people, especially when you factor ebikes into it.
I'd use the words "centre of employment" rather than city. Places like Athlone and Tralee would be covered, and even a smaller place like Westport. The GWG is seen as a tourism Greenway, but if I work in, for example, Allergan (a big employer), and live in Newport (or somewhere in between), then it's an Active Travel way for me.
You could have a rule stating that a Greenway serving any town/city where there are more than X employed, is an Active Travel project for a distance of Y kilometres from the town.
Except when they are close to cities e.g Royal & Grand Canal Greenways.
I presume the recategorisation is partly down to be ing sure funding will be allocated. NTA funding for tourism projects might take a much lower priority over Active Travel projects.
Strongly agree with that. It's not really active travel.
It seems to suit them to spin it as "leisure" when they don't want to segregate users or give priority etc and then they spin it back as "active travel" when they want the funding. I'm not against the greenways, it's just irritating cute hoorism.
I agree but the switch from Failte Ireland should not also lead to a switch of labeling from a tourism project to active travel. Greenways are tourism and leisure not transportation routes.
Interesting.
Transport Infrastructure Ireland (TII) took over the South East Greenway project, which was previously under the auspices of Fáilte Ireland. That handover led to a more rigorous assessment of contracts which, in turn, delayed progress last year.
This was down to the greenway now being primarily considered as an active travel component as opposed to a tourism project.
Seems to me that Fáilte Ireland shouldn't be running any of these Greenway projects - tourism or not, they are all infrastructure which is best dealt with by a body that has experience in that area.
Usual council arse-scratching and incompetence.
https://www.independent.ie/regionals/wexford/new-ross-news/fears-opening-of-32m-new-ross-to-waterford-greenway-will-be-delayed/a49663188.html
It was originally supposed to be open summer 21 ,
Then it was announced the easiest part (midleton to mogely ) would be opened summer 2023 .. now it'll be opened to autumn 2023 ,
So it was 2 years late - now its going to be 2 years and 3 months late ,
Okay covid delayed it by 3 months -
So only 2 years late
- for a 23 km footpath ,
where they already owned the land,had right of way , didn't need to do any major earthworks , and any major roads were already bridged..
So 25 million ?
Before Christmas, Midleton to Mogeely greenway was set to open in Q1 2023. In January they said the summer 2023 and today, they say Q4, 2023.
These contractors must be bleeding the public purse dry.
I haven’t read the Constraints Report, but just looking at that map there could be a nice route along the lake if it’s possible with landownership etc.
It could easily be unworkable once you get into the details.
About ten of these signs west of Banagher. Local roads for local people.
Those sections of greenway that go round the back of houses are a bit unappealing imo. I'd say very few regular cyclists there would use them. It would be a big job, but I wonder did they consider building it on the Reek side of the road higher up behind all the properties on that side. The views would be fantastic up there.
Mullingar to Kilbeggan greenway proposal
The next stage of the consultation on the Galway to Oughterard Greenway is now taking place, it is focusing in on the preferred route for the Greenway. You can call into the below venues or further information is available online.
Tuesday 16th May 2023 – 12:00-20:00: Killannin Community Centre, Rosscahill
Wednesday 17th May 2023 – 12:00-20:00: Oughterard Community Centre,
Thursday 18th May 2023 – 12:00-20:00: Human Biology Building Atrium – South Campus, University of Galway,
https://galwaytooughterardgreenway.ie/third-public-consultation/?fbclid=IwAR3Z0YJxQ7PTrjxERvaRuCYON9oTkNnp1tqgbjAm81yOgzIsAclrgcSQdmw
This is a local school, for local children.
An attempt to bring in a Parisian style ban on e-scooters from greenways in Kerry, on the grounds of safety, has failed.
The country’s network of greenways are reserved exclusively for non-motorised vehicles but national guidelines are awaited.
If e-scooters were banned, "then you would have no choice only to ban all other forms of bicycles, E-Bikes, etc,"
Not part of this Scheme, but a consultation on a cycle lane a stones throw from there generated responses of "if the road is narrowed to remove the central hatching (which is a car wide), then it'll be unsafe for people dropping off kids as there will be no space to go around them safely (uphill, into a bend, on a white line) ..."
These drop offs that refuse to go into the school car parking area..."
You could add your own submission: "As some submissions have pointed out, it's very dangerous to have a fast-moving transport corridor outside the school gates. Please replace the road with grassy fields."
Won't someone think of the children!!!
People outraged that a car set down lane is to be replaced by a cycle track which will, somehow, create, a safety issue.
My favourite being: "This cannot go ahead because of the safety of local children attending local schools"
Old Bawn to Ballyboden Active Travel Scheme | South Dublin County Council's Online Consultation Portal (sdublincoco.ie)
Despite significant on-site works being long since completed, the Ferrybank (urban) section of the South East (Waterford to New Ross) Greenway will remain officially closed for the immediate future. Indeed, it may not open for at least two years – if not longer.
... this section’s opening is dependent on the delivery of the new €8.5 million Belmont Link Road.
Great news, although the Greenway doesn't go all the way to Limerick as said in the tweet, but to Rathkeale only. Unless there are new sections being proposed/built?
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