The people of East Mayo submitted 1,000 observations on the most recent Mayo County plan asking MCC to consider the idea of a greenway on the closed railway from Claremorris to Charlestown which will link in with the planned Sligo Greenway from Charlestown to Collooney on the closed railway, creating Irelands longest greenway.

MCC received submissions from both Irish Rail (the owners of the route) and The Department of Transport  fully supporting the idea of a greenway on the closed railway from Charlestown to Claremorris in Mayo.

The recently published All island, Irish Strategic Rail Review does not propose that the closed railway from Charletstown to Claremorris should be re-opened.

Despite all of the above In 2022 Mayo county council approved an objective in the county plan, Objective MTO9 which deliberately opposed the views of 1,000 submissions and the views of Irish Rail and the Department of Transport. 

MTO9 in the Mayo county plan states ""That the Western Rail Corridor (WRC) is protected and preserved for the delivery of
Rail Infrastructure to develop the region and the corridor is completely removed from any feasibility study in relation to any proposed greenway."

In view of the findings of the All island, Irish Strategic Rail Review, the support shown for a greenway on the closed railway from Claremorris to Charlestown by both the Department of Transport and Irish Rail, and the overwhelming public support for a greenway on this route,  we are now asking Mayo county council to reconsider its position in regard to continuing to support an objective in the Mayo County Plan 2022 - 2028 which does not align with national planning strategy. 

CHANGE MTO9:   We call on MCC to immediatley remove the clause that forbids a greenway on the closed railway from Claremorris to Charlestown.