MacManus: Greenway must not be placed upon disused rail line
Sinn Féin MEP Chris MacManus has expressed concern that any new greenway would be developed on the disused rail line between Bellaghy and Collooney.
MEP Chris MacManus has reiterated his support for the proposed Greenway from Bellaghy, outside Charlestown, to Collooney, but with the proviso that it is developed a “safe distance” from the disused Western Rail Corridor.
Sinn Féin’s Midlands Northwest representative was speaking after making a submission to the second public consultation being held on Sligo Greenway project.
Noting the health, recreational and tourism benefits from developing greenways, MacManus said he would be concerned too about any attempt to develop a greenway on the disused rail line itself.
“The all-island rail review has recommended the reopening of the section of the Western Rail Corridor from Athenry to Claremorris and this project is expected to be delivered in the coming years. Given this, it is very likely that in the medium term the remaining section of the line from Claremorris to Collooney will also be reopened and Sinn Féin are fully committed to delivering this project in Government.
“If a greenway is constructed on the railway line it would make it much more difficult for the line to be brought back into use. It certainly would not protect the line for future use as some have claimed, as once you open a recreational amenity for a community it would become difficult to remove or change its use. Furthermore it means that the greenway itself has no guaranteed permanence, and could be lost completely if and when the railway line reopens,” cautioned MacManus who added that to place a greenway on the rail line would contravene the objective of the Northern and Western Regional Assembly’s Regional and Spatial Economic Strategy of developing passenger and freight services on the Western Rail Corridor.
“It is clear that development of a greenway on the railway line is not feasible and I have urged the Council to take this into account as the project progresses. The sensible solution here is to ensure that the greenway is a safe distance from the railway line so that both pieces of infrastructure can be delivered for the benefit of the local community,” concluded Chris MacManus.
