Press release From: The Western Rail Trail campaign
28th May 2019 – Stunning result in election for Greenway Campaign
• Western Rail Trail greenway has full support of Sligo and Galway county councils following election
• 23/39 councillors support the Quiet Man Greenway in Galway
• Mayo councillors want the issue to be investigated with feasibility study
• County councils now need to push for greenway until railway becomes possible
• Railway study on Athenry – Claremorris section needs to take account of county council views
• Atlantic Economic Corridor set for tourism boom when Western Rail Trail Greenway is completed from Athenry to Collooney
The Western Rail Trail campaign; The campaign to utilise the route of the closed railway from Athenry to Sligo as a greenway until such time as a railway might be possible has welcomed the election results in Sligo, Galway and Mayo.
The Sligo Greenway already had the support of Sligo County Council for a greenway from Collooney to Charlestown on the Mayo border for the Sligo section of the long distance greenway from Collooney to Athenry. This support will continue with the new council. Sligo County Council is now waiting on a decision from the Department of Transport Tourism and Sport on the application for project funding under the national greenway strategy.
Stunning result in Galway: 23/39 councillors pledged support for Quiet Man Greenway before election
In Galway the campaign for “The Quiet Man Greenway” which is the Galway brand name for the Greenway from Athenry to Milltown on the Mayo border on the route of the closed railway had a stunning result said Brendan Quinn of the Western Rail Trail Campaign.
Quinn said “The Quiet Man Greenway Campaign contacted every candidate standing at the recent council elections for Galway county council to secure a commitment to the Quiet Man Greenway project before polling day. A simple question was put to candidates. “If elected will you support the development of the Quiet Man Greenway on the route of the closed railway from Athenry to Milltown”
With the responses received it meant the campaign could give supporters a clear message. These are the candidates that support us and these are the ones that don’t; please make your preferences accordingly.
With all the results in, it is clear the message got through. the campaign says that 23 of the 39 elected Galway county councillors have committed to support The Quiet Man Greenway project in the new council chamber.
Very Clear message in Galway
“It is a very clear message.” said Quinn, “What’s more important is the support for the Quiet Man Greenway is almost unanimous in the electoral districts which the Quiet Man Greenway will run through; the combined level of support in Athenry Oranmore, Gort Kinvara, Loughrea and Tuam is 20 councillors in favour and 4 against, and we hope the 4 against might be persuaded yet of the value of this project for East Galway.
Mayo councillors to raise the issue of feasibility study
In Mayo the local greenway campaign groups, The Kiltimagh Greenway Group and the Swinford to Charlestown Greenway group concentrated efforts on candidates in the Swinford Electoral District which has four councillors. Two of the four elected councillors, Michael Smyth and John Caulfield both gave commitments before the election to press Mayo county council to review their stance on this matter and to raise the potential for a feasibility study.
“This is a breakthrough in Mayo” said Quinn, “where the county council opposition to the greenway from the planning department and council executive has been consistent. We hope the matter will at least be debated by Mayo councillors now” he added.
Rail Review needs to take account of election results.
The independent economic review of the closed railway from Athenry to Claremorris currently being carried out by International consulting company EY DKN, needs to look at what has happened in Galway East. Business owners have been telling the newly elected councillors what the economic impact of a greenway will be; They want to see it happen. An economic review of the closed railway needs to consider the economic impact of alternative uses of the closed railway as well. That is what people have unanimously voted for in Electoral districts from Athenry to Milltown. In every town and village the greenway will pass through the people have supported Greenway supporting councillors. Tourism is critical for the Atlantic Economic Corridor and a greenway from Collooney to Athenry would be a tourism driver for the entire Atlantic Economic Corridor. It now has to become top of the agenda for the economic review of the closed railway.
With the recent election results the greenway now has to be considered a real economic option.
Ends