Press release From: The Western Rail Trail campaign February 8th 2018 for immediate release • Western Rail Corridor extension excluded from National Development Plan • Greenway now a clear option to protect route in public ownership • Greenway campaign calls on Minister to openly support the Western Rail Trail • On line petitions for greenway on closed railway exceed 5,000 A spokesman for the Western Rail Trail Campaign – a collection of community-based groups campaigning to preserve the alignment of the closed rail line from Athenry to Collooney by utilising the route for tourism and leisure as a greenway until such time as a railway may be possible, has stated that the report in the Irish Times today (February 8th) that an extension of the Western Rail Corridor north of Athenry will not be included in the soon to be published National Development Plan has opened the way for the closed railway route to be utilised as a greenway. “It now has to be accepted that the railway north of Athenry and onwards to Sligo is not going to be built, but in line with comments made by Irish Rail closed routes must be protected” said Brendan Quinn of the campaign. The Western Rail Trail campaign say there is huge support for the Western Rail Trail greenway with local campaign groups in operation in Galway, Mayo and Sligo. “We know people support this idea based on the response to on line petitions we have running and the local support for groups in Sligo Mayo and Galway” said Quinn. “One of our petitions asking for greenway from Athenry to Sligo on the closed railway has hit nearly 4,000 signatures, with other petitions focussed on local sections of the line also having heavy local support. In total over 5,000 on line petitioners have signed our petitions.” People can still sign our petitions by going to change.org and search “Western Rail Trail campaign” The campaign says it has the support of 2 out of the 3 Galway East TDs, Ciaran Cannon FG and Anne Rabbitte FF who are both publically in favour of the Western Rail Trail Greenway being built on the closed railway. Quinn said we hope both TDs who support the greenway in Galway East will ensure that no last minute changes are made in the National Development Plan to try and stop the route being used as a public utility which will create tourism jobs. The railway is not going to be built so let’s see some use made of the facility and protect the route until such time as a railway might be possible. Ends: Main body text 372 words Contacts: Brendan Quinn 00 353 87 4198193