Warning over contentious Mayo greenway

A councillor has warned there will be "bad, bad trouble" if Transport Infrastructure Ireland (TII) attempts to obtain lands for a controversial greenway by way of compulsory purchase orders. 

Independent Cllr John O'Malley made his comments at last week's meeting of Westport-Belmullet Municipal District during a broader discussion on greenways. Cllr O'Malley had asked the council to erect safety barriers around private properties adjoining the existing Great Western Greenway between Westport and Newport to prevent accidents for users. In particular, he called for intervention in the Conrea area, saying: “There are no gates coming out from a residence there to stop people going through and one of them nearly got hit with a car coming out recently.

“The traffic comes awful fast down there. It is a deadly dangerous part of the road. I was there last week and there were two people on bicycles going along the main road. I cannot understand why they won’t go in on the greenway, it was resurfaced to be good enough for people on racing bikes. That day, there was a tractor, the bicycles and an overtaking car that almost went on top of the bicycles. I was sure the person on the bike was going to get hit and just thought to myself that the people on those bikes are so stupid to be on that road and they should be on the greenway.” 

Cllr O’Malley suggested that the greenway between Westport and Newport was “less busy than it used to be" and he outlined several issues that needed to be addressed, including the repair of a barrier hit by a car in Kilbride and work on a bridge between Mucklagh and Kilmeena.

"Even though it is called the Iron Bridge, layers of steel have come off it," he said, adding that the situation needed to be addressed “before some vehicle goes across and it breaks down". The Westport councillor also pointed out the lack of a safety barrier at Newport Quay which he said posed a danger for both cars and pedestrians. 

Cllr Peter Flynn commented that the points raised by Cllr O’Malley highlighted “the issues around having a greenway along a road”, adding: “You are dealing with a lot of accesses from private homeowners and farmers which does mean having to put up additional barriers and making it difficult for cyclists. If you want a reason why greenways should be kept away from roads, take a trip to Kilmeena and you will see on a daily basis people interacting with cyclists. It really is miraculous there has been no serious accident between motorists and cyclists along the Westport and Newport Greenway. I have seen cars going over the road into ditches, just luckily no pedestrians were involved. Another one was on its roof at least four metres from the road. That is why I say the off-road version is much better where there is no meeting with cars or tractors coming off people’s properties.” 

Cllr Flynn has supported an off-road greenway between Belclare and Murrisk and his comments prompted a sharp response from Cllr Brendan Mulroy who accused his colleague of throwing "a curveball". Cllr Mulroy said he had been portrayed as "anti-greenway" but that was not the case; he simply wanted the Belclare to Murrisk greenway to be constructed adjacent to the R335. The Great Western Greenway from Westport to Achill had been constructed by Mayo County Council through "permissive access" but TII now wanted to develop the Belclare to Murrisk greenway off-road and by way of compulsory purchase orders. 

Louisburgh-based Cllr Chris Maxwell said he was also in favour of a greenway "as long as land and property owners are respected". 

"People are not objecting about this being alongside their property, but it’s through their property they are trying to put it.

“The R335 is one of the most important roads in this county but it is in a state and not fit for purpose. Farmers, contractors, people driving heavy machinery along it, they are all being wrecked because the road is in such a state since the water was done. All the hauliers, their bills are escalating having to fix their wagons and trucks because of lumps and bumps in the road."

Cllr Maxwell said the TII should redevelop the road and build the new greenway at the same time. 

The manager of the district Seamus Ó Mongáin said that plans are in place to upgrade the R335 but work would only be done on a section-by-section basis. 

Cllr Mulroy asked for an update on the Murrisk greenway route, stating that people had been promised that TII would confirm its preferred route earlier this year. Mr Ó Mongáin replied that the route would be published as part of the Part 8 planning application process in September, but his answer did not have the desired effect.

“We are being kept in the dark," said Cllr Mulroy. "We were told a preferred route would be made public but that has never happened. When there is no information being made public I get worried. They’ve obviously made a decision on this but nobody knows the route until the Part 8 in September.” 

Cllr Mulroy then asked the district manager: “Do you not find this unacceptable for TII to say they would come back with a preferred route and now we are told there will be a Part 8? Show some respect for people and for those whose land it is going through, rather than just going along to bulldoze land and tell nobody. They will bulldoze through the land and pay them money so they will ultimately take the lands, that is not negotiation.”

Mr O’Mongain replied: “I think they have outlined to you what the preferred route is. There is no proposal to bulldoze through anyone’s land. We have sought to have agreement and discussions with everybody.” 

Cllr O’Malley commented: “I would advise TII not to CPO that route because if they do, there will be bad, bad trouble and I won’t be responsible for what will happen.” 

Director of Services Joanne Grehan told Cllr Mulroy: “The emerging route was presented and there was a presentation on the actual route in advance. I take your point (that there was no confirmation of the preferred route) and will look into it and revert to you at the June meeting.”