Councillor Michele Hall has called on Louth County Council to apply for funding as soon as possible for a proposed greenway from Carlingford to Dundalk and along the coast to Drogheda which she says is most welcome.
Cllr. Hall says that despite its small size County Louth is one of the most populous counties and we have some outstanding areas of scenic beauty.
The proposed greenway from Dundalk to Drogheda will include the first Viking settlement in Ireland at Annagassan, then on to Clogherhead with its Blue Flag beach, harbour and unique rock formations.
Next stop the medieval village of Termonfeckin which was once the seat of the Bishops of Armagh, the scenic route of the Boyne Estuary to the Gateway of the Boyne Valley, Drogheda.
“As someone who cycles this route often, I count myself lucky to be able to enjoy these sights but I would cycle more often if it was safer” Cllr. Hall said.
“The benefits of a greenway for tourism and recreation-related revenues from greenways come in several forms” Cllr. Hall said.
“They create opportunities in construction and maintenance, recreation rentals (such as bicycles, kayaks, and canoes), recreation services (such as shuttle buses and guided tours), historic preservation, restaurants and lodging.
“It increases the value of housing and forms linkages between rural and urban areas. Leaving the car at home, not only benefits us in health effects but we save money in rising petrol and diesel costs.
“We can drastically reduce our carbon emissions by using bicycles for short journeys and with e-bikes, this has made it much easier even in Drogheda with our hills!
“The close proximity of two of the largest towns in Ireland, Drogheda and Dundalk, drives the opportunity to use active travel for work, school and socialise. At the moment, the numbers of cyclists are extremely low, which isn’t unusual for Ireland.
She points out that Dundalk which has some cycle lanes has four times the number of cyclists who commute to work (4.6%) compared to Drogheda (1.6%).
“The evidence shows that if you build specific cycling infrastructure like a greenway, people will use it. I would like to stress again the need for expediency on design and commencement of works on this section once funding becomes available.
“Drogheda especially needs the economic benefits from the potentials a greenway will bring and it’s wonderful to know that the new tourism officer for County Louth will be based in The Tholsel.”
