[article] Protesters object to railway walk development

Navan Junction · 22-05-2006, 06:04

Frank McDonald & Áine Ryan, Irish Times, 22/05/2006

Dozens of Westport people have protested against a proposed new bridge and road across a railway line walk, connecting the heritage town to the harbour.

Organised by the Stop This Road Committee, which was set up recently by Westport Civic Trust, yesterday's protest was intended to put pressure on the council to drop the plan on environmental grounds.

The proposed road has been designed to facilitate the development of a landbank at Clonmonad of some 50 acres between the town and Westport Quay, just north of where the railway line used to run.

Opponents claim that the road would compromise the integrity of the railway line walk by introducing traffic and noise and disturbing wildlife habitats.

"The road is planned to go straight through a wetland which is home to herons, mallards, cootes, moorhens and many other species of birds," they say, and without an environmental impact assessment.

In a report commissioned by Westport Civic Trust, environmental consultant Richard Webb concluded that the railway walk "will become almost a roadside footpath" if the proposed road went ahead.

More than 100 submissions requesting that the plan be abandoned were treated by the town council as a single submission until the ombudsman upheld a complaint about this procedure.

Former trust chairman Henry Horkan said he was outraged that the council had not considered "imaginative ideas for a linear park centred on the railway line walk".

Cllr Keith Martin said the plan was being pursued "contrary to the wishes of the vast majority of the people of Westport".

However, a claim that the road would be funded by taxpayers' money was emphatically rejected by Peter Hynes, the council's director of services, who said it would be financed entirely by developer levies.

He said it was a long-standing objective of Westport Town Council to encourage appropriate residential infill in the area between the town and Westport Quay, and the road was necessary to facilitate it.

© The Irish Times

Kevin K Kelehan · 22-05-2006, 08:39

I know this area very well having holidayed there as a child twice a year; this area is a natural habitat of a very high standard and in recent years this railway walk has become the only real amenity area of any quality between the town and the Quay. This alignment should be preserved and nothing should be done to compromise the integrity of this alignment given the explosive population growth in the area.

22-05-2006, 06:04	#1
Navan Junction Really Regular Poster Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Navan Posts: 305	[article] Protesters object to railway walk development Frank McDonald & Áine Ryan, Irish Times, 22/05/2006 Dozens of Westport people have protested against a proposed new bridge and road across a railway line walk, connecting the heritage town to the harbour. Organised by the Stop This Road Committee, which was set up recently by Westport Civic Trust, yesterday's protest was intended to put pressure on the council to drop the plan on environmental grounds. The proposed road has been designed to facilitate the development of a landbank at Clonmonad of some 50 acres between the town and Westport Quay, just north of where the railway line used to run. Opponents claim that the road would compromise the integrity of the railway line walk by introducing traffic and noise and disturbing wildlife habitats. "The road is planned to go straight through a wetland which is home to herons, mallards, cootes, moorhens and many other species of birds," they say, and without an environmental impact assessment. In a report commissioned by Westport Civic Trust, environmental consultant Richard Webb concluded that the railway walk "will become almost a roadside footpath" if the proposed road went ahead. More than 100 submissions requesting that the plan be abandoned were treated by the town council as a single submission until the ombudsman upheld a complaint about this procedure. Former trust chairman Henry Horkan said he was outraged that the council had not considered "imaginative ideas for a linear park centred on the railway line walk". Cllr Keith Martin said the plan was being pursued "contrary to the wishes of the vast majority of the people of Westport". However, a claim that the road would be funded by taxpayers' money was emphatically rejected by Peter Hynes, the council's director of services, who said it would be financed entirely by developer levies. He said it was a long-standing objective of Westport Town Council to encourage appropriate residential infill in the area between the town and Westport Quay, and the road was necessary to facilitate it. © The Irish Times

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22-05-2006, 08:39	#2
Kevin K Kelehan Member Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: West Tower Posts: 355	I know this area very well having holidayed there as a child twice a year; this area is a natural habitat of a very high standard and in recent years this railway walk has become the only real amenity area of any quality between the town and the Quay. This alignment should be preserved and nothing should be done to compromise the integrity of this alignment given the explosive population growth in the area.