Greenways arent mini-motorways, and they shouldnt be pitted against a right to roam Comment & Analysis: Greenways arent the solution to opening up the countryside, according to travel writer Tim Hannigan, who has put forward the view in an Irish Examiner article and in other media coverage around the launch of his new book, The Pathless Land: Finding a Way Across Ireland, but his arguments dont match the reality of greenways in Ireland today. Its fair to say that Ireland has very poor public access to our countryside. A public right of way, allowing people to walk or hike for recreational purposes in open countryside whether the land is privately or publicly owned can only be a good thing.However, making a comparison between that current lack of a right of roam and what greenways can offer in Ireland is misguided. Simply having an old public trail because thats the way it was years ago, as Hannigan suggests, instead of transforming it into a greenway, is not accessible to all and means lots of people wont be able to use it.Exploring an old rustic trail or path through some fields where you have to hop a few stone stiles and climb a gate or two is great. Unless you have a disability. Or you require a mobility aid. Or a trike. Or you have young kids with buggies You get the picture.Yes, we should have more of a right of way, but making comparisons to greenways or mini-motorways, as the author rather amazingly termed them and laying the blame on Irelands greenway boom as an excuse for poor public access to our countryside is a very poor argument.The right to wander and enjoy Irelands wild countryside is a great and just cause, and best of luck with it. Just like the right to wander and enjoy a greenway is also great. Cant we have both things?Greenways have been a game-changer in Ireland and have brought a wide range of benefits. Most notably, when you take it back to basics, they have enabled people all people, even those with a disability, a mobility aid, or a trike to explore and enjoy Irelands diverse landscapes, from rivers, canals, coastlines and forests.Its a fairly common sight to visit a greenway and see groups of people from all walks of life meeting up to go for a walk, or to see families with young kids getting out and exploring nature. Or elderly people out for a spin on mobility bikes or trikes. In more and more places, greenways are the new social hubs of our towns and communities.As well as reconnecting people to nature, the many benefits of greenways include offering sustainable transport options for commuters, improved physical and mental health, tourism and job creation, as well as improved access to nature and biodiversity.In certain contexts, greenways can also improve water quality by acting as natural buffers along waterways and filtering pollution from agricultural runoff.Another major benefit is what greenways offer to communities. Rather than a simple trail through a field, greenways have revitalised our towns and villages and reconnect the people in those communities. Greenways built along old rail lines, such as the Old Rail Trail or the Boyne Valley to Lakelands Greenway, have preserved and brought back to life the history of those lines, restoring old stations and platforms, encouraging Tidy Towns or Mens/Womens shed groups to improve laneways and links to their local areas.Many new businesses, from coffee shops to bike hire to accommodation, have opened up on them, and in many places, we have seen new greenway hubs which have become the focal point for many rural communities.In terms of their popularity, the numbers speak for themselves. The Great Western Greenway and the Waterford Greenway Irelands first two major greenway projects each receive more than 200,000 visitors per year. The demand for greenways has never been greater.The article in question also goes on to compare the cost of the Listowel-Tralee Greenway to the South Kerry Greenway, which is completely misleading. The South Kerry Greenway, running from Glenbeigh to Cahersiveen, is a very unique and spectacular greenway which will literally go over, and in some cases through, mountains. It restores tunnels and two viaducts at Gleesk and the Ferta River viaduct to Cahersiveen.While greenways arent cheap, many impact studies of existing routes show they more than pay for themselves. The Great Western Greenway, for example, cost 5.7 million to build and now generates 38.9 million annually for the local economy.While the South Kerry Greenway will cost over 70m, reports estimate it could generate over 38m per year locally, as well as creating over 500 new jobs. Much more than that, though, it will revitalise towns and villages right along the route, bringing a whole range of new opportunities for locals and visitors alike along the beautiful Iveragh Peninsula.Ireland is a beautiful country to explore. Greenways are a great way to do it. And we are fortunate to have so many great greenways, both current and in planning, and long may they last. However, it doesnt mean it has to be the only way.Ed Moynihan is chairperson of the Navan Cycling Initiative.
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