Tuam group says disused railway could become greenway

By DAVID BURKE THE disused railway section between Tuam and Claremorris could be made into a public walking and leisure cycling facility. This is according to a recently-formed group in Tuam, who say that such a development would not prevent the line being re-opened as a railway in the future. However West on Track is opposed to any such development on the railway track. The Tuam Greenway Project was formally inaugurated on January 9 when a committee of interested people met to pursue the creation of an amenity route for walkers and leisure cyclists Tuam, surrounding areas and further afield. [private] They say the huge success and popularity of the Great Western Greenway in Co Mayo has seen a revitalisation of areas from Westport to Achill and Newport to Mulranny from heritage, tourism and local amenity perspectives. The group have identified the disused railway section from Kilbannon Round Tower to Tuam as a potential first phase of this project. They say the success of greenways in other parts of the country has demonstrated that achievable projects constructed on disused railway corridors have enormous potential in providing vital amenities for local populations and have a spin off boost to tourism and local business. 'The Tuam Greenway Project are not opposed to the completion of the Western Rail Corridor if funding becomes available and in fact have highlighted the benefit of protecting the â€Ëœright-of-way' afforded by developing a Greenway on the route,' they say. Present members of the group are Jimmy McElroy, Ray Collins, Marian Gannon, Deirdre Keaveney, Anne Quinn, Dara O'Neill, Daithi Quinn, Brian Roache and Alan McGrath. They say that some of the potential benefits to the local community include; â€Â¢ safe, family friendly walkway; â€Â¢ facility for walking, cycling and running clubs; â€Â¢ an amenity for school and other educational groups; â€Â¢ ecclesiastical heritage route with tourist potential â€â€ Holy Wells, Kilbannon Round Tower; â€Â¢ health promotion and healthy heart walking routes; â€Â¢ nature walk including foot bridges over Clare River and River Nanny; â€Â¢ various areas of botanical interest and faunas included on route; â€Â¢ cycle/ pedestrian  access to Airglooney Business Park and Fitness Centre; â€Â¢ immediate options of loop back routes to Tuam via Weir Village or Ballygaddy Road; â€Â¢ keeps the rail corridor open without precluding any rail investment later. The newly formed group have begun the process of applying for funding for the project. They would welcome support from all interested parties. West on Track says No However West on Track, the group lobbying for the restoration of the Western Rail Corridor, do not agree. A spokesman said 'This idea is nothing more than short term opportunism and extreme shortsightedness to say the least. The western rail corridor should continue from Athenry to Tuam and on to Claremorris and beyond to Charlestown at the very least where a developing major airport (Knock) is less than a ten-minute bus ride away. 'This will become a major gateway for business development and more particularly for tourism in the future in the west of Ireland. There is also a proposal currently being discussed at European level to develop a rail link from the North of Ireland to link with the western rail corridor at Sligo. 'Proposing a greenway would jepordise the whole concept of the western rail corridor and a North-South rail link.' [/private]