Farmers are threatening to withdraw their goodwill from a new €4.5m public cycleway planned for a stretch of the Ring of Kerry.
While the vast majority of the 172 landowners along the 32km route claim to support the concept, there is growing resistance to the compulsory purchase order (CPO) mechanism being adopted by the County Council.
"This area needs the Greenway badly because it would be a perfect fit with the type of activity holidays that are not completely weather dependent that this region can offer," admitted local part-time sheep farmer, Denis O'Connor.
Read Darragh McCullough' full Irish Independent article at : http://www.independent.ie/business/farming/farmers-up-in-arms-over-cpos-for-ring-of-kerry-cycle-route-34739756.html
Waterford Greenway
Waterford Greenway takes you along the River Suir, through Mount Congreve, Comeragh Mountains, crossing three viaducts and then onto Dungarvan Bay.
Read more about Waterford Greenway at http://waterfordgreenway.com/
PREVIEW: THE 45KM WATERFORD GREENWAY
County Mayo’s Great Western Greenway is currently the top long-distance off-road cycling route in Ireland, but that looks set to change after this summer when the Waterford Greenway opens.
Waterford City and County Council is currently developing its 45km greenway on the alignment of the disused railway line from Dungarvan to Waterford. Contunue reading the full Irish Cycle article "PREVIEW: THE 45KM WATERFORD GREENWAY" http://irishcycle.com/2016/04/04/preview-the-45km-waterford-greenway/
West Cork Abandoned Rail Line Greenways: Preliminary Feasibility Assessment Report
WSP were appointed by Cork County Council to undertake a Preliminary Feasibility Assessment to investigate the feasibility of developing Greenways along the abandoned rail lines in South and West Cork. This preliminary feasibility assessment involved a desktop study of the existing conditions of each abandoned line in terms of the integrity of the original rail line, land ownership and existing land uses along the route.
You can download and read the entire report from the Cork County Council website at
http://www.corkcoco.ie/co/pdf/562780142.pdf
You can download and read the entire report from the Cork County Council website at
http://www.corkcoco.ie/co/pdf/562780142.pdf
Public Submisions to Cork County Council
Sorry for the late notice and rush but we are asking if possible can you make a submission by 4pm 25th January 2016 The more submissions the better!
See below with a brief outline for some of the things we would like included in the development plan for the west Cork Greenway. This is a menu. If you want to delete some of the points or add others please feel free to do so. It is after all your submission.
Please follow the below steps to make a submission and attach a word doc (takes less than 5 minutes in total). You will need to cut the text below and save the word document before you begin the process.
Steps:
1) Click on the following link:
https://www8.corkcoco.ie/SitePages/PublicSubmissionPlan.aspx
2) Select a district plan. The West Cork greenway would fall under the any one of the following districts. Pick any one and click "proceed to Submission":
- Ballincollig / Carrigaline district (close to the city)
- Bandon / Kinsale district
- West Cork district
3) You will be asked to fill in your personal details and attach the word document.
Thank you for your time and again sorry for the rush.
Proposed text
To whom it may concern,
I am making a submission regarding the Cork County Council development plan as indicated in my online submission.
I have a personal interest in the development of a greenway along the abandoned west Cork railway line. From a social, family, fitness and tourist view this project would be a wonderful asset to the people of Cork City and County.
There are a number of things I would like to see included in the upcoming development plan:
- I would like the council to mark a Corridor which the planning office can then use when considering future planning applications.
(Cork County Council have never set out the proposed route in a development plan. They have initiated feasibility studies and suggested using the original route of the train tracks. We would like to see a development plan with a “corridor” marked on it where the greenways, if and when they are funded, will run following detailed consultation with land owners and other stakeholders. In the last five years two private residential homes have been built on the path of the original railway, in one case limiting access to one of the most significant architectural features. It will not be possible to run along 100% of the original track but by creating a corridor it allows for compromise solutions to be found and prevent future erosion of access and obstruction to the track.
- Cork County Council to include a consideration to use a cycle lane adjacent to the N71 from the east of the Chetwyn Viaduct to Halfway in lieu of crossing the Chetwyn Viaduct. This would allow section 1 of the project to proceed in the near term.
- Cork County Council to consider the overall west Cork Greenway as a number of discrete sections. For example in the Development plan consideration should be given to connect Clonakility-Timoleague-Courtmacsherry as soon as possible. The sections closest to the city will cost the most and require the most engagement and compromise. Start to work on the sections where we can see an immediate return and over time add the more difficult ones. This allows Cork County Council to do a more detailed cost benefit analysis to justify the major capital investments (chetwyn Viaduct – Gogginshill tunnel) on the complete route with real numbers over time.
Yours Sincerely
See below with a brief outline for some of the things we would like included in the development plan for the west Cork Greenway. This is a menu. If you want to delete some of the points or add others please feel free to do so. It is after all your submission.
Please follow the below steps to make a submission and attach a word doc (takes less than 5 minutes in total). You will need to cut the text below and save the word document before you begin the process.
Steps:
1) Click on the following link:
https://www8.corkcoco.ie/SitePages/PublicSubmissionPlan.aspx
2) Select a district plan. The West Cork greenway would fall under the any one of the following districts. Pick any one and click "proceed to Submission":
- Ballincollig / Carrigaline district (close to the city)
- Bandon / Kinsale district
- West Cork district
3) You will be asked to fill in your personal details and attach the word document.
Thank you for your time and again sorry for the rush.
Proposed text
To whom it may concern,
I am making a submission regarding the Cork County Council development plan as indicated in my online submission.
I have a personal interest in the development of a greenway along the abandoned west Cork railway line. From a social, family, fitness and tourist view this project would be a wonderful asset to the people of Cork City and County.
There are a number of things I would like to see included in the upcoming development plan:
- I would like the council to mark a Corridor which the planning office can then use when considering future planning applications.
(Cork County Council have never set out the proposed route in a development plan. They have initiated feasibility studies and suggested using the original route of the train tracks. We would like to see a development plan with a “corridor” marked on it where the greenways, if and when they are funded, will run following detailed consultation with land owners and other stakeholders. In the last five years two private residential homes have been built on the path of the original railway, in one case limiting access to one of the most significant architectural features. It will not be possible to run along 100% of the original track but by creating a corridor it allows for compromise solutions to be found and prevent future erosion of access and obstruction to the track.
- Cork County Council to include a consideration to use a cycle lane adjacent to the N71 from the east of the Chetwyn Viaduct to Halfway in lieu of crossing the Chetwyn Viaduct. This would allow section 1 of the project to proceed in the near term.
- Cork County Council to consider the overall west Cork Greenway as a number of discrete sections. For example in the Development plan consideration should be given to connect Clonakility-Timoleague-Courtmacsherry as soon as possible. The sections closest to the city will cost the most and require the most engagement and compromise. Start to work on the sections where we can see an immediate return and over time add the more difficult ones. This allows Cork County Council to do a more detailed cost benefit analysis to justify the major capital investments (chetwyn Viaduct – Gogginshill tunnel) on the complete route with real numbers over time.
Yours Sincerely
West Cork Greenway
When you boil it down the first section of the greenway from Cork to Halfway offers a major reason not to proceed with this project. This section has three significant architectural features The Chetwynd Viaduct, The Gogginshill tunnel (828 meters long) and the halfway Viaduct. These features require a very extensive capital investment in order to make them fit for use. Given the limited budget available to the Cork CoCo they will argue that they will get a better bang for their buck on other greenways.
There is an alternative!!
If the CoCo bring the cycle path from the City to the Chetwyn Viaduct and then bring the path down past the Viaduct Inn and run the cycle path beside the N71 (Main Cork to Bandon road) out to Halfway ie don't cross the Viaduct. There is a lot of space along this road and it should be cost effective to do. I know we would all love to cycle/walk across the Chetwynd Viaduct and through the Gogginshill Tunnel however lets take small steps. Once we get to Halfway this opens up the next stage of the west Cork Greenway project to Inishannon - Bandon - Clonakility. Once we have established the economic and social benefit of the route we can go back and add the more difficult and expensive features to make this one of the most unique greenways in Europe.
When you meet a politician on the door step over the next two months ask them what their plans are for the west Cork Greenway? If they genuinely believed in this project then there are solutions. It would be a great amenity for the people of west cork and could become a significant tourist feature.
Just in case you need a question to ask those election canvassers!
There is an alternative!!
If the CoCo bring the cycle path from the City to the Chetwyn Viaduct and then bring the path down past the Viaduct Inn and run the cycle path beside the N71 (Main Cork to Bandon road) out to Halfway ie don't cross the Viaduct. There is a lot of space along this road and it should be cost effective to do. I know we would all love to cycle/walk across the Chetwynd Viaduct and through the Gogginshill Tunnel however lets take small steps. Once we get to Halfway this opens up the next stage of the west Cork Greenway project to Inishannon - Bandon - Clonakility. Once we have established the economic and social benefit of the route we can go back and add the more difficult and expensive features to make this one of the most unique greenways in Europe.
When you meet a politician on the door step over the next two months ask them what their plans are for the west Cork Greenway? If they genuinely believed in this project then there are solutions. It would be a great amenity for the people of west cork and could become a significant tourist feature.
Just in case you need a question to ask those election canvassers!
Cork County Council Development Plan
Cork County Council has published its development plan for 2016 which can be viewed here.
In paragraph 3.2.6.4 it specifically mentions a need for a greenway between Cork and Kinsale. The Council are inviting feedback and suggestions to this development plan. Now is the time to make our voices heard and get momentum for this and other greenways.
Submissions can be made by following this link
https://www8.corkcoco.ie/SitePages/PublicSubmissionPlan.aspx
The consultation process will run until 4pm on 25th January 2016 so get going!
In paragraph 3.2.6.4 it specifically mentions a need for a greenway between Cork and Kinsale. The Council are inviting feedback and suggestions to this development plan. Now is the time to make our voices heard and get momentum for this and other greenways.
Submissions can be made by following this link
https://www8.corkcoco.ie/SitePages/PublicSubmissionPlan.aspx
The consultation process will run until 4pm on 25th January 2016 so get going!