Model charge for greenways

WEXFORD COUNTY COUNCIL will be the lead council on a greenway project stretching from Rosslare to Waterford, under new plans.

Director of Services Eddie Taaffe said Wexford will be the lead authority over Kilkenny and Waterford county councils in the planning, design and construction of greenways which straddle the borders of the three counties.

Mr Taaffe said: ‘It makes sense for Wexford to take the lead and the works and funding will be apportioned across the three local authorities. The beauty about us being the lead local authority is that we have control over the timeframe and delivery of these greenways.’

Wexford County Council announced in January that it had appointed Roughan O’Donovan Consulting Engineers to undertake a preliminary design and associated studies for the development of a greenway along the existing rail corridor from Rosslare to Waterford City, with a link from Rosslare to Rosslare Harbour.

The greenway will provide an off-road cycle and walking path from Rosslare Harbour to Waterford City taking in the towns and villages of Kilrane; Rosslare, Killinick, Mayglass, Bridgetown, Wellingtonbridge, Ballycullane, Campile in Wexford; Belview in Kilkenny; and Ferrybank in Waterford where it would connect with the Waterford/Dungarvan Greenway via the North Quays development. The leading civil, environmental and structural engineering consultancy firm began preparation of the feasibility study, route selection report, environmental assessment, planning and related consultancy services for the 56km greenway, which crosses the boundaries of counties Wexford, Kilkenny and Waterford.

Cllr Larry O’Brien proposed approval of the greenway shared cycle and pedestrian path and the ‘Red Bridge Greenway’ following the route of the disused New Ross railway line between the N25 and the N30. The greenway will run from Raheen, Rosbercon and continue through the townlands of Annefield, Glinn and Garranbehy Big and on through Mountelliott. It crosses the disused railway viaduct, the Red Bridge, which is a protected structure and also passes through the Mountelliott tunnel. The greenway route has been identified in the New Ross Active Travel Towns Walking and Cycling Strategy. In March 2017 two sections of the proposed greenway were approved under Part VIII planning. Council CEO Tom Enright recommended an Ecological Impact Assessment to be carried out and that the development should proceed having regard to the findings of the assessment. There were submissions raising concerns about anti-social behaviour on the Redbridge greenway, the safety of users with traffic on the main road, a negative impact on farmland, car parking on the lane accessing the greenway. By agreement maintenance of the Redbridge route will pass from CIE to Wexford County Council.

Cllr Lisa McDonald said €53m in national funding was announced for greenways over the summer. ‘We need to get in there as it’s long enough to meet the criteria,’ she said.

Mr Enright said: ‘We will be putting our best foot forward to secure funding for that greenway.’

Cllr Oisin O’Connell asked if it is still proposed to consider the possibility of using the existing railway line on the Rosslare Harbour to Waterford greenway.

Mr Enright said: ‘It’s being looked at as part of the report. It’s unlikely that the costs would be prohibitive.’