THE project team overseeing the planning and construction of the new Derry to Buncrana greenway has said that an additional consultation has now been planned for Tooban on Thursday 7 February to finalise the emerging greenway route.
While an assessment of the route options has been completed and the report will be published in February 2019, a number of possible alternative routes have been suggested for the section linking Inch Island to Fahan as part of the feedback received from the initial consultations.
At those consultation events which were held in June 2018, over 200 people attended and numerous written submissions were subsequently received by the project team.
A key outcome from that consultation process is that people on the whole are very supportive of the project concept. However, as a result of some of the feedback received regarding the section linking Inch Levels to Fahan village, before finalising the preferred route in this section, the two local authorities have decided to examine and assess some alternative corridors, including those suggested by landowners in their initial feedback, supplementing those routes examined previously in the first phase.
Ronan Gallagher, Communications Manager said: ‘Following the feedback received, the project team feels it is important to explore fully all possible alternatives.
“As the alternative options were not originally presented it is now important that we go back to let the wider public have their input on them as well as speaking with people who may have land along one of the new routes.’
He added: ‘one of our key objectives is to build infrastructure that will encourage people to cycle and walk between Derry and Buncrana, whether it be a local or cross-border journey.
“The important aspect of the project is to deliver something which is safe, thus encouraging more people to leave the car at home.
“Whilst there is significant support for the greenway project, we would like to acknowledge some of the genuine concerns raised by landowners in the area, and we will strive to ensure that no matter the preferred route selected, impact on those living in proximity to the developed infrastructure will be minimised.’
The new consultation event will be held in Fowler Hall, Tooban, on Thursday 7 February 2019.
Public attended consultation on Derry-Buncrana greenway in May this year
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The Derry-Buncrana route forms part of an overall INTERREG-funded greenway project that will see three routes developed: the others being Muff to Derry and Lifford-Strabane.
On completion, the three routes will comprise 46.5 km of new cross-border greenway that will help reduce carbon emissions by encouraging commuters to leave their cars at home.
The c.€18 million project is part-funded under the EU’s INTERREG VA Programme, managed by the Special EU Programmes Body (SEUPB). Match-funding for the project has been provided by the Department for Infrastructure in Northern Ireland and the Department for Transport, Tourism and Sport in Ireland.
For more information go to www.nwgreenway.com.
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