Website Update (July 2021) – Galway to Athlone Cycleway Project: Landowner Engagement
Landowner engagement on the proposed new Galway to Athlone section of the Galway to Dublin Greenway is progressing well.
To launch the new Cycleway Project in 2020, the Project Team—comprising staff from Galway County Council, Westmeath County Council, Roscommon County Council, and RPS Consulting Engineers—undertook an early-stage public consultation to gather feedback from the public.
Taking this feedback into account, the Project Team identified five potential route corridor options, linking key attractions and amenities and using state-owned land as much as possible. To connect these lands, consultation areas were identified on privately owned lands, where the team would like to engage with landowners to explore possible routes. These routes aim to follow existing features and farm boundaries to minimise severance.
Public Consultations on the five route corridor options were held online in early 2021, in line with COVID-19 restrictions. The consultations received an unprecedented level of support, with over 8,000 submissions received.
Landowner support is key to the success of the project. Engagement will continue over the next three to four months, after which a preferred corridor will be selected—one where the team is confident a route can be delivered with the agreement of the majority of landowners. Other factors influencing the preferred route include the “Five S” criteria:
- Scenic
- Sustainable
- Strategic
- Segregated
- Lots to See and Do
These will be considered alongside environmental, engineering, and financial factors.
The Project Team is available to discuss the project:
(091) 509267
info@galwaytoathlonecycleway.com (www.galwaytoathlonecycleway.com)
Website Update (January 2021) – Galway to Athlone Greenway
After a five-year pause, the 140km Galway to Athlone section of the Greenway is being developed with a fresh start. The project is jointly managed by Westmeath, Galway, and Roscommon County Councils, in conjunction with TII, with Westmeath as the lead authority.
RPS Consulting Engineers were appointed in early 2020 to develop the route. RPS, with an office in Galway, has worked on the M6 and other major projects in the region.
A project office has been established above the Library in Ballinasloe, staffed by Council and RPS personnel. It will reopen in line with Government health and safety guidance. In the meantime, the team is working remotely to prepare for upcoming public consultations.
There is a strong emphasis on consultation, with 5–6 dedicated team members from RPS and the Councils focused on landowner liaison.
Currently, over 100km of the Galway to Dublin Greenway between Maynooth and Athlone is open to the public. A new cycle bridge is planned across the Shannon to connect this section to Athlone Castle. The proposed Galway to Athlone Greenway will extend from Athlone Castle to a location in Galway City, likely Ballyloughane on the east side. Galway City Council and the NTA will plan and develop the Greenway across the city to link with the Connemara Greenway.
Only the connection points at Athlone and Galway have been identified so far. The rest of the route is being approached with an open mind. The first stage, a Constraints Study, is underway, assessing lands already in state ownership, including those held by Government Agencies, Departments, and Local Authorities.
More information is available at: www.galwaytoathlonecycleway.com
Public Consultations
- Public Consultation No. 1
Held in August 2020
Galway to Athlone National Cycleway Scheme Public Consultation No. 1.pdf (PDF,3.76MB)
- Public Consultation No. 2 – Route Corridor Options
Held in January/February 2021
Public Consultation No. 2 Route Corridor Options - Advertisement.pdf (PDF,2.5MB)