Public Consultation
The Government’s Strategy for the Development of National and Regional Greenways sets out the process that all projects must follow, before a route is selected and planning consent is sought from An Bord Pleanála.
Four stages of public consultation will be held on the new Galway to Athlone Cycleway to inform the public and discuss the project before it is submitted to An Bord Pleanála.
After each stage of public consultation, a report will be published outlining what feedback was received and how that feedback can be incorporated into the development of the project design. The stages of public consultation for this Cycleway are:
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Public Consultation No. 3 will start on 8th December 2021 until 31st January 2022
Due to current health advice, a physical consultation event is not possible.
The Consultation can be accessed in the Virtual Consultation Room here.
If you wish to speak to the project team, you may book a time slot for a phone call back in the Consultation Room, or arrange a Virtual Meeting if you prefer via the online booking facility.
Written feedback may be made through the
online questionnaire, in the Virtual Consultation Room, by email to info@galwaytoathlonecycleway.
| Galway to Athlone Cycleway Project Office, |
| Society Street |
| Ballinalsoe, |
| County Galway, |
| H53 T320 |
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FREEPOST
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The Emerging Preferred Route Corridor has now been chosen.
An interactive map of Route Corridor Options is available to view in our Virtual Consultation Room
Emerging Preferred Route Corridor Option
The Emerging Preferred Route Corridor has been chosen as it offers a highly scenic route from Galway to Athlone, with lots to see and do on the way. It travels through a wide variety of landscapes, from the edge of Galway Bay, the Burren Low Lands, the Slieve Aughty mountains, the river Shannon and the midlands bogs, and will be attractive to domestic and international users. It visits Ballyloughane Beach, Oranmore, Rinville, Clarinbridge, Kilcolgan, Kinvara, Coole Park, Gort, Woodford, Portumna, Meelick, Clonfert, Ballinasloe, Shannonbridge and Athlone Castle, linking places of interest, established tourism centres, public parks and outdoor spaces. We now wish to work with landowners and the public to determine the best route and design for the Cycleway within the Emerging Preferred Route Corridor.
Have Your Say
During this consultation, we are inviting feedback on the Emerging Preferred Route Corridor Option that could inform the design of the project. We welcome your feedback on any issues or information, relating to the corridor, which you think should be considered by the project team.
In compliance with current COVID-19 advice, and to provide access to project information in a safe environment, an online consultation room is available here: Visit the Online Consultation Room
Once you have reviewed the project information and route corridor map, please complete and return the consultation questionnaire to the project team.
All feedback should be returned to the project team by 31st January 2022.
Download the Third Public Consultation Brochure and Questionaire Here .
Meet with the Project Team
The cycleway project team is available to answer any questions and provide information to assist you with your submission.
The project team can be contacted during office hours at 091 509267 (Weekdays 9am-5pm) and at info@galwaytoathlonecycleway.com.
If you would like to arrange an online consultation with a member of the project team, please contact us by phone, email, or via the online meeting booking facility. Online meetings will be facilitated during the week of 13th and 20th of December 2021 and 3rd, 10th, 17th and 24th of January 2022.
Should the current COVID-19 advice be eased during the course of the public consultation period, it may be possible to facilitate ‘in-person’ meetings, by appointment only, at a suitable venue. Strict adherence to COVID-19 guidelines will apply, in order to safeguard the health and safety of the public and staff.
Landowner Engagement
A process has been underway since 2019 to develop a Code of Best Practice for National and Regional Greenway Projects. TII and the local authorities have been working with the farming representatives and other stakeholders to develop the Code of Best Practice which is due to be completed in the near future. The Code sets out the process for the delivery and management of Greenways and provides information on the acquisition of privately owned lands for the Greenway.
The corridor is well defined where routing appears clear, for example through publicly owned lands, such as Coillte forestry tracks and Bord na Móna railways.
However, it will be necessary to build some of the Cycleway on land that is now privately owned. In these areas the corridor is wider and future discussions with landowners will form the basis for developing the route within the corridor.
During the development of a preferred route within the corridor, landowners may engage their own agronomist/property adviser to advise them during the design of the Cycleway. This agronomist/property adviser will be paid for by the project promoters. We will work with the landowner and their agronomist/property advisor to pick the least disruptive route possible, likely to be along the property boundary.
There are a number of dedicated Project Liaison Officers (PLO’s) from the Local Authorities and Consultants. The PLO’s will be available to meet with landowners either on their property or in the Project Office by appointment. PLO’s are also available to talk on the phone or by online virtual meeting.
These PLO’s will be the main point of contact for the landowner, and will ensure that the landowners interests and concerns are considered in all decisions.
The goodwill and cooperation of the farming community is important to make the Cycleway a success. Real and open engagement with the landowners and community will be central to everything we do.
