Funding of €80,000 has been announced for the installation of public lighting on the Greenway from Garrycastle to the White Gates in Athlone.
Further funding of €4.5m is being provided for the Galway to Dublin Greenway to progress elements of the Greenway in counties Kildare and Meath. This will build on the work started last year in those counties and will see people able to cycle all the way from Maynooth to Athlone by early 2018.
Local Independent Deputy, Kevin ‘Boxer’ Moran has welcomed the funding.
“I am delighted to be in position to announce the additional funding for the greenway project as it was important that this work was completed as it was part of the planning conditions and for the construction of links to schools on the route,” said Deputy Moran.
“I am delighted with the progress that is being made on the Greenway and I would like to thank Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport, Shane Ross for his strong commitment to the project.”
The funding was announced as Minister for Transport Shane Ross launched a public consultation process on the future development of greenways this week. The Minister published a public consultation paper on a ‘Strategy for the Future Development of Greenways’ and is inviting submissions from interested parties on the issues raised in the paper by July 14.
Deputy Moran is urging the public to become involved in the process.
“The public consultation paper sets out the policy context for Government investment in greenways, including their value from an economic, health, community, and rural and regional regeneration perspective,” he said. “It also references the significant tourism benefits that can accrue as well as providing a more sustainable transport option for many communities.
“Importantly, the paper seeks views from interested parties on some of the more contentious issues that have arisen in the development of some greenway projects, and asks what approach should be taken to such issues in future.”
