STATUTORY PROCESSES
COMPLETE
THE PROJECT
The project involves extending the Great Western Greenway, which currently connects Westport to Cashel. This extension will offer a safe and enjoyable leisure and recreational facility for both locals and visitors, catering to all ages and fitness levels.
The proposed Greenway will provide an alternative route for cyclists and walkers traveling between Achill Sound and Bunacurry along the R319. It will enhance opportunities for residents and visitors to experience the natural surroundings, with the added potential of drawing increased numbers of tourists.
As a key attraction, the Greenway is expected to bring visitors from outside the region, increasing tourist stays and spending while fostering enterprise opportunities and local employment. It will be a fully inclusive amenity, welcoming users of all ages, abilities, and group sizes, ensuring accessibility for everyone.
LOCATION
The Achill Route spans from Achill Sound to Bunacurry, with Sections 1 and 2, extending from Achill Sound to Cashel, now substantially complete.
These sections of the Greenway have proven highly successful, offering a practical and enjoyable amenity for tourists and the local community. The scenic walking and cycling route provides an enhanced level of safety through effective segregation from road traffic.
SECTION 3 CASHEL - BUNACURRY
Section 3 of the Achill Route spans approximately 5 km, connecting the western end of the completed Greenway in Cashel to the L1406 road in Bunacurry. The route integrates existing link roads where feasible, enhancing access to key tourist attractions such as historic sites, scenic mountain views, and stunning coastal vistas.
SECTION 3 CASHEL - BUNACURRY
Section 3 of the Achill Route spans approximately 5 km, connecting the western end of the completed Greenway in Cashel to the L1406 road in Bunacurry. The route integrates existing link roads where feasible, enhancing access to key tourist attractions such as historic sites, scenic mountain views, and stunning coastal vistas.
The Great Western Greenway, celebrated for its gentle gradients and stunning scenery, highlights some of the most picturesque landscapes in the west of Ireland. Its development has been made possible through agreements with local landowners who have facilitated the route across their lands.
The planned extension of the Greenway creates opportunities for eco-tourism and active travel businesses to grow. Potential ventures include bike tours, repair and sales services, walking tours, and food and beverage outlets, tapping into the expanding market for sustainable travel.
What is a Greenway?
A Greenway is a designated recreational corridor designed for non-motorised travel, offering a safe and accessible route that promotes environmental sustainability and enhances the quality of life in surrounding communities.
These routes are carefully planned to meet high standards for width, gradient, and surface quality, ensuring they are user-friendly and safe for people of all abilities.
Greenways are inclusive spaces, welcoming everyone—from cyclists and pedestrians to wheelchair users, families with strollers, and riders of all types of bicycles. They are designed to meet the diverse needs of all users, fostering shared enjoyment and accessibility for all.
What is a Greenway?
A Greenway is a designated recreational corridor designed for non-motorised travel, offering a safe and accessible route that promotes environmental sustainability and enhances the quality of life in surrounding communities.
These routes are carefully planned to meet high standards for width, gradient, and surface quality, ensuring they are user-friendly and safe for people of all abilities.
Greenways are inclusive spaces, welcoming everyone—from cyclists and pedestrians to wheelchair users, families with strollers, and riders of all types of bicycles. They are designed to meet the diverse needs of all users, fostering shared enjoyment and accessibility for all.
The National Planning Framework
The National Planning Framework (NPF) is the Government’s high-level strategic plan for shaping the future growth and development of our country out to the year 2040.
It is a framework to guide public and private investment, to create and promote opportunities for our people, and to protect and enhance our environment – from our villages to our cities, and everything around and in between”…
The Cashel to Bunacurry Greenway Project will support the National Strategic Outcomes of the NPF.
THE PROJECT TEAM
Mayo County Council with the support of the Tourism Recreation and Amenity Section are the lead Project Managers and Designers.
A range of external Service Providers also form part of the team.
