Government funding of €13.25 million has been allocated for Galway greenways as part of a €63.5 million nationwide investment in cycleways and walkways.
Three projects involving Galway will benefit from what is the largest single-year investment in greenway infrastructure to date, with €3.35 million for the Clifden-Recess section of the Connemara Greenway; €8.1 million to develop the Galway-Athlone section of the Galway-Dublin Greenway; and €1.8 million has been allocated for the Galway-Moycullen route. The allocation will also fund the construction of a greenway bridge across the Shannon in Athlone as part of the Galway route.
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The funding was announced this morning by the Minister of State at the Department of Transport, Fine Gael Galway West TD, Hildegarde Naughton, whose department is financing the projects. She said that the investment represented a major policy change in the way walking and cycling infrastructure is supported.
'Greenways disperse visitors to towns and villages that may otherwise miss out on the economic benefits of tourism'
“The benefit of greenways is multifaceted," she said. "They provide world-class amenities for locals and unlock for them the occasionally hidden beauty of our landscape and countryside for recreational purposes, as well as providing viable commuting alternatives."
Adventure tourism
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Dep Naughton said that Greenways can potentially provide a major boost to the region's tourist industry. "They tap into the massive growth market of adventure tourism," she said, "and disperse visitors to towns and villages that may otherwise miss out on the economic benefits of tourism."
The Government is also supporting the roll-out of a new Safe Routes to School Initiative. This programme will seek to accelerate the delivery of improved walking and cycling infrastructure to schools; enhance sustainable access onto school grounds; and expand the amount of cycle parking available at schools.
