Public consultation event this week on proposed Lough Ree Greenway

A proposal to develop the Lough Ree Greenway linking Athlone with the Shannonside towns of Ballyleague in Roscommon and Lanesborough in Longford, is a taking a step forward this week with the first round of public consultation on Wednesday, March 22 in the Hodson Bay Hotel, Athlone from 3pm to 8pm.

Roscommon County Council, with the support of Transport Infrastructure Ireland (TII), intends to develop a cycleway that will tie in at the southern end with the Galway to Athlone Greenway, which is expected to cover large swathes of South Roscommon.

Although the project is in the early stages, it's expected a study area will be revealed to members of the public showing the geographic boundaries that are being examined for possible routes starting from the new pedestrian bridge currently under construction in Athlone.

Members of Roscommon County Councils Greenways Team based in the National Road Regional Office along with Project Consultants will be in attendance at the first public consultation event where the study area and constraints will be outlined to attendees, and feedback will be encouraged.

Earlier this year, Roscommon County Council was granted €600,000 by TII for what was described as the 'Lough Ree Greenway' linking Athlone with the two Shannonside towns of Ballyleague in Roscommon, and Lanesborough in Longford.

The council says the greenway will improve access to East Roscommon and the Lough Ree catchments and entice people to explore its towns and villages, its unspoilt scenery, connecting them with this natural and historical environment.

In 2019, the local authority's annual budget stressed the importance of the development of a greenway along the Shannon from Carrick on Shannon to Lough Key and from Ballyleague to Athlone to the Galway Dublin route, as “very important tourism infrastructure for county Roscommon”.

Feedback forms will be available on Wednesday, (March 22) in the Hodson Bay Hotel, Athlone from 3pm to 8pm, while further information and a brochure in relation to the project is expected to be published on the Roscommon County Council website in the coming days.

Closing date for receipt of feedback on the first stage of consultation is Wednesday, April 12.