this is a lengthy email for all our Mayo supporters it is really important if you live in Mayo to take this action - its only to send a few emails so please give it five minutes. Thanks. Brendan The Greenway Campaign is now at a very important stage and pressure needs to be applied on both Galway and Mayo County Councils and the Four TDs like never before. All the Mayo councillors and the Four TDs from the county are now receiving an automated email everytime someone new signs our Change.org petition. They are well aware of the numbers. However they now need some personal attention from their constituents. They will listen a lot more to local people when votes are at stake. Here is the problem: The new Greenway strategy launched on July 20th means that new greenway projects need to be supported by and led by the County Councils as the main sponsor. In October the Department of Transport will publish an Invitation to Tender to all the county councils across the country asking for submissions on Greenway projects. The Greenway Strategy says there is €53 million available for National Greenway projects. A national greenway project needs to be ideally about 40km in length and to fulfill key criteria. Fortunately the use of the closed railway would tick all the right boxes, However we need Mayo County Council to accept this and do something about. At the moment Mayo county council is living in self denial about the closed railway, the county planners seem to think the railway is coming back. It’s not. You know that, I know that, the dogs on the streets of Castlebar know that. But the council seems to think differently. Here is what we are asking you to do. There is nothing like local people contacting local politicians directly about local issues. Below you will find the email addresses of all the Mayo County Councillors, I am trying to make life easy for you! Please do this if you can. Make your emails are as personal as you can, but please select which councillors are from your area and let’s start letting them know, to get your support and your vote, they need to start taking some action. The email below is quite long, but does set out the situation, feel free to copy paste or create your own narrative. The important thing is they need to start realising this does matter. Thanks Brendan Please blind copy the emails you send to sligomayogreenway@gmail.com that way we can keep track of the campaign Current email addresses of Mayo councillors cruisersbar@gmail.com; gjginty@gmail.com;cllrmloftus@gmail.com; jmunnelly@cllr.mayococo.ie;johara@cllr.mayococo.ie; amreape@cllr.mayococo.ie;michael@fgphelan.ie; sweir@cllr.mayococo.ie; cburke@cllr.mayococo.ie; fdurcan@cllr.mayococo.ie; bgavin@cllr.mayococo.ie; hkenny@cllr.mayococo.ie; mkilcoyne@cllr.mayococo.ie; amcdonnell@cllr.mayococo.ie; johncaulfield4@gmail.com; tconnolly@cllr.mayococo.ie; jcribbin@cllr.mayococo.ie; dryan@cllr.mayococo.ie; rconwaywalsh@cllr.mayococo.ie; gcoyle@cllr.mayococo.ie; mholmes@cllr.mayococo.ie; christyhyland@hotmail.com; cllrtmcguire@mayococo.ie; paulmcnamara04@eircom.net; bmulroy65@gmail.com; cllrtruane@mayococo.ie; rfinn@cllr.mayococo.ie; gmurray@cllr.mayococo.ie; pobrien@cllr.mayococo.ie; Potential email to send below Dear Councillor: You may have heard that The new National Greenway Strategy was published last week. In October the Department of Transport will issue a call for Greenway funding with €53 million available for funding strategically long greenways that will fit into the National Greenway Network strategy. The proposed Western Rail Trail greenway on the route of the closed railway from Athenry to Sligo passing through Mayo, fits the national greenway strategy perfectly, but we can only get funding if Mayo County Council apply. This long distance greenway route which is already in public ownership, could connect to the Great Western Greenway via the Castlebar/Turlough House greenway, connect Mayo to the Galway – Dublin greenway at Athenry and to Northern Ireland via the proposed Enniskillen/Leitrim/Sligo greenway being developed as a project on the old Sligo North Leitrim railway. All this connectivity will bring more cycling tourists into Mayo to discover the joys of the Great Western Greenway. It would be a win/win situation for Mayo tourism. However this idea under the terms of the new national greenway strategy can only happen with the support of Galway Mayo and Sligo County Councils. Thankfully, Sligo County Council is already fully supportive and I am sure Sligo will be applying to create a greenway on the Sligo section of the line and good luck to them I hope they are successful. Mayo county council received almost 300 submissions on the current county plan asking for a greenway on the closed railway, in fact 87% of all the submissions on the plan asked for a greenway on the route. An on line petition for the Western Rail Trail now has almost 20,000 signatures. As a county councillor you may have received emails from people who have signed the petition. There is overwhelming public support for this idea. We know some councillors still believe the railway is going to be re-opened from Athenry to Claremorris. The Minister of Transport is supposed to be producing a report on the feasibility of the Western Rail Corridor being extended north of Athenry to Claremorris, but this report has not yet materialised. In truth is unlikely to recommend that the railway re-opens anytime soon for a whole host of reasons. The report is not even going to consider the railway line north of Claremorris! This leaves the option to convert this route to greenway until such time as a railway is possible. Imagine a greenway from Athenry to Sligo. What could this do for the West of Ireland tourist economy? This will only happen if Mayo county council elected representatives act on our behalves. It really is your obligation as elected councillors to do what the people want to see done. Mayo is going to miss out on this incredible chance to connect Mayo to the rest of the country on the National Cycle network with a project that could be easily achieved within the new greenway strategy. YOU NEED TO ACT ON THIS MATTER! I am asking you as a councillor to start addressing this issue, You can make a start by preparing and submitting a motion to Mayo County Council for the September County council meeting. I suggest you ask the council to consider this idea as a motion: Motion to propose to Mayo county council meeting in September: “The National Greenway Strategy published by the Department of Transport in July 2018 presents Mayo with an outstanding opportunity to increase the Mayo Greenway tourism infrastructure. The Department of Transport will issue a call for proposals from County councils in October. It is proposed that Mayo county council will answer this call for proposals and make a submission to the Department of Transport to approve and fund a long distance greenway on the route of the closed railway route from Charlestown to Milltown. The Greenway will protect the closed railway line in public ownership in perpetuity, should the route ever be needed as a railway in the future. The proposal for this long distance greenway will fulfil all the five main criteria needed for support of national greenway routes: Strategic: It will link Mayo with the National greenway network. Scenic: Mayo is one of the most scenic counties in Ireland. Sustainable The greenway will pass through several towns offering accommodation and facilities; it is also wholly in public ownership. Substantially segregated &Share use. The greenway will be entirely off road and suitable for use by cyclists walkers, wheelchair uses and above all families. Offer lots to see and do Passing through several communities for over 40 km there are plenty of additional attractions on the route of the greenway. It is proposed that the council planning department be instructed to prepare a submission for the Charlestown to Milltown Greenway in answer to the call for proposals from the Department of Transport” Please give this motion some consideration put it forward for business at the next council meeting in September and please come on board like so many other councillors in the West of Ireland to declare your support for the Western Rail Trail and to get Mayo county council to answer the call for funding for a Greenway on the closed railway from Milltown to Charlestown. All this needs is a motion in the chamber proposing this idea for debate. That is what I am asking you to do as one of your constituents. Please let me know the wording of the submission you have made. Thank you Your name and contact details