Councillor highlights the enormous potential that greenway infrastructure can bring to rural towns and villages.Waterford Greenways success shows how investment in walking and cycling tourism can transform local economies, support small businesses, create employment, and attract visitors from across Ireland and overseas, a Sligo-based councillor has said.She posted about the issue on social media after a recent visit to the Deise Greenway, where he met with representatives of the Waterford Greenway Group in Dungarvan. In a video, she said she was visiting The Greenway Man in Dungarvan, who had 120 bicycles ready for use for children on a school trip. Cllr Marie Casserly (independent) said: The Waterford Greenway is a clear example of what can be achieved when communities, local authorities and Government work together with a long-term vision. Greenways are relatively low-cost infrastructure projects when compared to many other transport investments, yet they deliver significant economic, social and environmental returns almost immediately. They support local businesses, create jobs and bring investment into rural areas.Sligo is ideally positioned to benefit from similar development, given its spectacular scenery and the strategic advantage of having Ireland West Airport on its doorstep, she said.Cllr Casserly said: We have some of the most beautiful landscapes in Ireland, stretching from our coastline to our mountains and villages. More and more European visitors are choosing Ireland for its temperate summers, outdoor experiences and ease of travel. Sligo is perfectly placed to benefit from that growing market.She called for renewed political leadership to ensure it progresses on the Sligo Greenway plan. This comes after Sligo County Council last year paused work on the planned Sligo Greenway, claiming that it cannot provide a greenway alongside the disused railway trackbed between Bellaghy/Charlestown on the Mayo/Sligo border and Collooney, where the line meets the Sligo mainline.The move to effectively shelve the greenway project follows Irish Rails withdrawal of permission to the council to use the disused trackbed for the greenway, the planning of which is already estimated at 1.6 million in pre-planning costs.This project has always enjoyed Government support, but it now needs a renewed push. Support and engagement from the Taoiseach, the Tnaiste and the Minister for Transport will be essential to move it to the next stage. The opportunity is there, but we need leadership and commitment to make it happen, said Cllr Casserly.Cllr Casserly said: Greenway infrastructure would not only boost tourism but also support regional development, local enterprise and long-term employment across the North West. Greenways also help us meet our climate action targets by encouraging more walking and cycling while reducing reliance on car journeys. Just as importantly, they provide safe, accessible routes for local people of all ages to exercise, enjoy the outdoors and improve their physical and mental wellbeing.The success story in Waterford should be a blueprint for Sligo. We have the natural assets, we have the airport connectivity and we have communities ready to benefit. What we need now is to get this project moving again, she said.She added: Investment in greenways is an investment in the future of rural Ireland. This is about creating jobs, attracting investment, supporting local businesses, improving public health and giving visitors another reason to stay longer and spend more in our region. Waterford has shown what is possible. There is no reason Sligo cannot achieve the same success.

Local area councillors were briefed today by Dublin City Council officials on a long-awaited plan to add traffic-calming to Vernon Avenue, including a less car-dominated space at Clontarf Village.The project will include traffic calming on Vernon Avenue between Seafield Road and the Clontarf Road, with filtered permeability making the area between Clontarf Park and the Clontarf Road car-free. This car-free area will provide an improved public space around the shops in the village. The car-free space is planned to run about 60 metres from the current junction at the Clontarf Road all driveways, and premises, including Nolans of Clontarf and the shops around it, will remain accessible by car, just not directly to/from the Clontarf Road.The public space will provide a higher-quality pedestrian environment, more outdoor seating areas, greening, and cycling access between the S2S Dublin Bay cycle route and the planned Gracefield Road to Vernon Avenue Active Travel Scheme.Disabled parking and loading bays are to be provided, along with an improved crossing that more directly links the car park across the Clontarf Road to the new public space. Cllr Donna Cooney (Green Party) said: Im excited to see the concept drawings for the Vernon Avenue Clontarf Village scheme. Have been looking for a village improvement plan for the Clontarf road end of Vernon Avenue since the late 90s, its been a long road to this junction.It will be such a pleasant place for people to linger and enjoy the shops, cafes, and restaurants in the village. There will also be a vastly improved crossing connecting Clontarf promenade to the village. With proper disability parking on Clontarf Road, Vernon Avenue village side, she said.Cllr Cooney said: The filtered permeability starts at Clontarf Park and the traffic-calmed shared area is from Kincora Road to Nolans on Vernon Avenue with a new zebra crossing.Officials told councillors that the full draft designs will be updated on the project website on June 10th, and there will be a public information day on June 25th from 3-7pm at Clontarf GAA Club.Some of the slides shown to councillors today:

Waterways Ireland has said it has finished maintenance and safety works on the Royal Canal towpath around Coolmine train station in Dublin 15.The more minor works were carried out ahead of the wider planned upgrade of the route to greenway standard, suitable for commuting and tourism. It is understood that Fingal County Council is still working on a planning application which it intends to submit to An Coimisin Pleanla. The route is mainly on the opposite side of the canal to these minor works, which have just been finished.The changes by Waterways Ireland are located east and west of Coolmine train station in part of the area known as the Deep Sinking in Dublin 15.Waterways Ireland said that the work included a 2km Tree Health Survey (Ash Dieback), Environmental Assessments (Bat Activity), removal of 75 dead/dying trees for public safety, height reduction of some trees for public safety, 700m of restored level towpath for walkers, improved visibility along sheltered areas, and improved layout of path in narrow areas.The all-island body said: These works were completed during Winter / Spring with all tree removal completed, prior to nesting season. The trail fully reopened on Tuesday, May 26th. Waterways Ireland thanks all concerned for their patience and cooperation during the maintenance works.

A man in his 50s was taken to hospital with serious injuries yesterday evening after he was knocked off his bicycle in a collision involving a car driver in Dublin.A spokesperson at the Garda Press Office said: Garda are appealing witnesses following a serious road traffic collision in Cabra on Monday, 1st June 2026. Emergency services and Garda responded to reports of a collision involving a car and an e-bike on Faussagh Avenue, Cabra, Dublin 7, at approximately 7:40pm.The cyclist, a 50-year-old man, was taken to the Mater Hospital with serious injuries. The scene was examined and the road has since reopened, the spokesperson said.The Garda Press Office added: Investigations remain ongoing and Garda are appealing to anyone who may have witnessed the incident to come forward. Road users with camera footage (including dash-cam) from the area at the time are asked to make it available to investigating Garda.Anyone with information or footage is asked to contact Cabra Garda Station on 01 666 7400, the Garda Confidential Line on 1800 666 111, or any Garda station.

A Dublin TD has said in the Dil chamber that he and fellow TDs will be retired or more likely dead by the time that Dublins Metro West is finally built if there isnt a renewed focus on the project.The call is in line with transport and tendering experts, who say that Ireland should have a pipeline of projects in planning so the country can retain more staff from those projects.The 24.7km orbital line would link Tallaght, Clondalkin, Liffey Valley Shopping Centre, Blanchardstown, and just north of Ballymun, where it would link with MetroLink and Dublin AirportPaul Donnelly, a Sinn Fin TD for Dublin West, said: Metro West has been cancelled until 2042. I am pleading with the Minister to please put this back on the agenda because how long has it taken for Metro North [now replaced by MetroLink] to get to this stage? We will all be retired actually, we will probably all have shuffled off this mortal coil by the time it is done.He said: Metro West will connect the Dart+ to Maynooth and the newly proposed Navan rail line at Metro North. We know the M50 is at capacity. If that is not a reason to get it started now, I do not know what is. It is really time for the public transport network to be a network system that works for all. We see it in every major European country.MetroWest was being planned before the 2011 recession, when it was scrapped, and later the project was also removed from the National Transport Authoritys Greater Dublin Area Transport Strategy for a claimed lack of demand to justify the project.Even the current 2022-2042 version of the transport strategy includes the claims, under the header of Orbital Luas, that analysis shows demand for orbital public transport in the Metropolitan area during the period of the strategy can be satisfactorily accommodated by bus.The note on this point states that the case for rail may change with shifting development patterns over the coming years. Transport Infrasture Ireland, the public body responsible for light rail planning, has since pushed the idea that an orbital Luas would be part of a package of light rail lines beyond whats currently planned for the capital, but there are few signs that the Government is willing to accelerate currently planned light rail projects, never mind add more Luas or Metro projects to the list.IMAGE: A map as part of TIIs push for future Luas lines. Deputy Donnelly added: The Dart+ will be brilliant when it comes into play, but it is very disjointed. We need Metro West connecting with Dart+. We need BusConnects and the NTA listening to the people who are on the ground they are the bus users and know what works. I urge the Minister to have a chat with the NTA and ask it to listen to us.Deputy Donnelly raised the issue during a Dil debate on extending the powers of the NTA outside of the Greater Dublin Area.Minister of Transport, Darragh OBrien, said that the proposed extension of the NTAs remit is a technical legal change. He said the change Is needed if BusConnects is to be progressed by the NTA, outside of the Greater Dublin area, specifically into the metropolitan areas of Cork, Galway, Limerick and Waterford in collaboration with the local authorities. This will provide the NTA with the same statutory powers it currently exercises in the Greater Dublin Area.He added: The NTA has the capacity and experience in progressing megaprojects having successfully secured planning consents for all 12 of its core bus corridor schemes in Dublin. As I mentioned, two of those have either begun or will enter into construction shortly. This Bill will ensure that the delivery of vital infrastructure is underpinned by a robust and appropriate legislative framework.ALSO READ: Dublin should build Metrowests bridge now for walking, cycling, buses ahead of a metroIMAGE: The Metor West proposed back in 2007 .

: LaPresse [See image gallery at www.irishcyclingnews.com]

Volunteers at the Irish Cycling Campaign, who are running guarded bicycle parking at Bloom with their Dublin branch, have said that the facility has been super-busy in the first two days.Volunteers with the Dublin Cycling Campaign and other campaign groups from around the country will be on hand to guard bicycles at Bloom 2026 in the Phoenix Park until Monday, June 1st.The campaign said: Well, its been an amazing experience at our bike parking at Bord Bia Bloom! The first days have been exceptionally sunny, and the bike park has been super-busy!They added: Lots of requests for sun cream, sun hats and water at the Healthy Ireland and Irish Cycling Campaign gazebos and no shortage of interest in our work + our vision for cycling countrywide! A big shout out to our volunteers for all their help, and to all the people on bikes who stopped by for chats!

A Social Democrats councillor has said that the Luas Finglas project a 4km extension of the Luas Green Line will be catastrophic for a Dublin youth centre, but a Green Party councillor said having a Luas stop at the door should be seen as a massive opportunity, and the real issue was the delay of the project. Cllr Mary Callaghan (Social Democrats) said the planned Finglas Village Luas stop was potentially catastrophic to the Finglas Youth Resource Centre and complained about the loss of car parking and open space linked to the centre, the potential for anti-social behaviour and noise. The comments, which were first reported by dublinlive.ie and made last weeks North West Area Committee meeting, were supported by Cllr Conor Reddy (People Before Profit) and Cllr Gavin Pepper (independent). Responding to the reporting of the comments, Cllr Feljin Jose (Green Party) said: Having a Luas stop outside isnt a catastrophe; its a massive opportunity. Public representatives should focus on the fact that the government has shelved this shovel-ready project until 2029. Thats the real catastrophe.IMAGES: Before photo (left) and after photomontage (right) showing part of the car parking in the area replaced by the Luas line and stop. MAIN IMAGE ABOVE: An artists impression of the Luas crossing route crossing the road to the tram stop and youth centre.At the committee meeting last week, Cllr Callaghan said: It is the biggest youth centre in the area, with over 400 young adults, its just next door [from the meeting in the adjacent Dublin City Council office in Finglas], and this is potentially catastrophic to the service, and nobody is speaking to them. Theyve been asking for consultation, and I think its really disappointing. Its terrible.She said: So basically their entrance is going to be on the Luas, just outside the Luas stop. The potential for anti-social behaviour, where theres up to 400, in some cases, very vulnerable young people, the car parking is taken away, theyre losing their outdoor space, theres going to be destruction during the build, theres going to be a lot of noise, a lot of noise, both during the build and afterwards, and there has been no consultation.The idea that there has been no consultation is untrue at this point, there have been multiple rounds of public consultation, and the project team has met the youth centre management on-site, although in the last year they have been focused on a legal cause taken by a local business. Speaking to a representative of the project team at the meeting, Cllr Callaghan said: And what really strikes me is that, you know, youve been taken to court and, and various different things have been agreed with some of the businesses in the area, when they are not speaking to the most important youth centre. I want to know why that is, she said.Cllr Callaghan said: I think everybody needs to support us on this, that we cannot destroy a youth centre and just, you know, its just not acceptable.David Weldon, head of light railway for the Dublin area at Transport Infrastructure Ireland, who was presenting to the committee meeting, said: We have had engagement, I mean, we met locally on site a couple of times with the resource centre, we meet again with them immediately after this meeting, I can assure you that we will ramp up engagement again.He pointed out that there had also been non-statutory public consultations and statutory consultation as part of the Railway Order process.IMAGE: An artists impression of the Fingal Village Luas stop with the building that houses the youth centre in the background.One of which certainly we did explore with resource centres is boundary treatments, and with the vulnerability of people that are there, we recognise the importance of managing all those elements, he said. Obviously, it doesnt stop there, as we will continue, we re-engage, and that re-engagement is going to start ramping up now as we move from planning into delivery, so I can assure you that well meet again on the ground, said Weldon.He added that they are looking at the possibility of repurposing council lands and changing boundaries around a bit to give space back to the resource centre.Cllr Callaghan said that she had spoken to the youth centre at the meeting and they confirmed that they havent had any contact or any meetings for a year. Weldon said that the project team has been tied up with the court case and related mediation, but added that the centre is a key stakeholder.

Overpowered bicycle-shaped objects are actually classed as e-mopeds and must be registered and insured, with the rider required to wear a helmet, Garda have warned. An AM licence is also needed for such e-mopeds. The warning comes as often these e-mopeds are mistaken for pedal-assisted bicycles, which are called e-bikes for short. Both e-mopeds and e-bikes can have pedals, but there are differences. The key requirements for an electric bike to be legally counted as a bicycle are that the motor must stop assisting at 25km/h and must not have a continuous rated power output exceeding 250W.It must also strictly not have a throttle, which is a button or twist grip that enables the bicycle to move continuously without pedalling. A Garda spokesperson said: The e-bike, by nature, is a superb option for those wanting a versatile modern green transport option. It pairs a light (ish) frame with a 250W motor with different degrees of assistance from the motor, with all assistance ceasing at 25kmh and pedalling required at all times [unless going downhill, etc].In a post titled When the lines blur on An Garda Sochna Kilkennys Facebook page, the spokesperson said: The Shengmilo MX03, like the one pictured, is an e-moped with a 1,000w motor and capable of throttle-only travel. It requires tax, insurance and a helmet.ALSO READ: Explainer: Differences between e-scooters, bicycles, e-bicycles and speed e-bikes Gardai confirmed that the e-moped and Kukirin e-scooter, which is illegal because it is overpowered, were seized yesterday evening by Road Policing officers. Both riders from the same household have a day in court, the spokesperson said.The post said that legal e-bike and e-scooter riders could relax as long as they obey the rules of use, theyll have nothing to worry about. But they warned that its its only a matter of time before they catch people who persist with the illegal machines requiring insurance and registration.MAIN IMAGE: From the Garda Facebook pages; CHART BELOW: By IrishCycle.com, see full explainer here.

Volunteers with the Dublin Cycling Campaign will be on hand to guard bicycles at Bloom 2026 from today and over the bank holiday weekend until Monday, June 1st. Dublin Cycling Campaign said it is all set for Bloom 2026. In posts on their social media channels, the group said: We will be collaborating with Healthy Ireland in running the supervised bicycle parking alongside the main entrance to the Bord Bia Bloom festival starting on Thursday, May 28th and running until Monday, June 1stCycling to the festival in the Phoenix Park makes so much sense because you can avoid motor traffic congestion, park right beside the entrance and you can meet the lovely folk from Irish Cycling Campaign at the bike park!Public transport optionsThere is also a free shuttle bus, which is scheduled to depart every 10 minutes, and the 99 bus. Both bus routes will operate between the event and Parkgate Street, beside Heuston Station and its Luas Red Line stop. However, the organisers warn that there can be long delays getting a bus leaving the event. On their website, they said: We have increased the number of free shuttles each day and have a new dedicated route for our shuttles to get you to Bloom faster. If you are travelling by train, weadvise visitors to leave Bloom 90 minutes prior to your train departure time to allow yourselfample time to get to Heuston Station.The buses serving the Navan Road (Ashtown Roundabout) are just over a 1km walk from the northern entrance to the event. The route is not child or disabled frendly.