By Colm Croffy
The Athlone–Galway cycleway project is still in limbo with progress halted following a review that identified potential biodiversity impacts as well as landowner complications.
A preferred 200km route, announced over two and a half years ago, is now under reconsideration, including the spur line to town.
Cllr Alan Harney recently has called upon The Department of Transport to focus on what is possible and create the cycleway using the public owned land and infrastructure to create the Ballinasloe to Athlone line – perhaps as a “Siege Trail” – given that quite a lot of points on it would have been used by various elements of the Siege of Athlone Caste and Battle of Aughrim.
Many in the original support group – walkers, cyclists, outdoor pursuits fans and those in the tourism and hospitality sector who mounted a very public campaign in 2021 are very despondent that the project will ever see completion at all.
A departmental review completed in August 2024 highlighted environmental and other risks, prompting the current pause. Officials say the councils remain committed to the project but must evaluate these challenges before moving forward.
Questions to Roscommon County Council Engineers and that of Westmeath and Galway Co in recent months have led to some allegations of stone walling or indeed an acceptance that the route chosen was not to be the one deliverable.
The withdrawal of the key consultancy firm in 2023 has been a major setback and lack of clarity form Dept. of Transport Officials who refuse to second guess what Roscommon, Westmeath and Galway will do with the review options.
The projects offices are located in the library complex but there is a dearth of public knowledge about what is to happen next and just who is leading on the project – is the Dept of Transport or the consortia of councils who appear to be managing the pre planning stage.?
The official website that was used extensively for public consultations has not been updated in over 24 months.
As of Q2 no planning application for a major western section (Athlone–Portumna) is expected until around 2028, meaning construction is still several years away . Surely a more local fix could be secured, planned and executed while the other larger/ complicated issues are dealt with?
