Summary
This project aims to develop an 85km greenway in Co. Clare, largely following the route of the old West Clare Railway. It will provide an attractive cycling and walking facility for locals and tourists while enhancing the amenity and functionality of the route as an ecological corridor.
The greenway is being advanced by Clare County Council with the support of Transportation Infrastructure Ireland (TII). It will be delivered in four sections:
- Kilrush to Kilkee
- Ennis to Ennistymon
- Ennistymon to Miltown Malbay
- Miltown Malbay to Moyasta
The projects are being progressed in line with the Code of Best Practice for National and Regional Greenways and Transport Infrastructure Ireland’s (TII) Active Travel Guidelines.
Solution
As part of the design and planning process, our transportation and environmental teams have been working closely with Clare County Council and specialist subconsultants to identify and assess the constraints along both sections of the greenway, with a view to minimising, where possible, the impacts of the project on the surrounding environment and communities. Extensive winter surveys are being carried out as part of this process.
Section one: Kilrush and Kilkee
Route options for the greenway were presented to the public in September 2022, as part of a second round of public consultation. The feedback received from affected landowners, together with detailed topographical and environmental surveys, was used to inform the identification of the emerging preferred route corridor, which was displayed at a third public consultation in spring 2024.
Section two: Ennis to Ennistymon
The scheme study area for the second section of the route, which consists of approximately 25km of greenway, was presented at a public consultation in October 2022.
The project constraints, as defined by our team of environmental specialists, were used to develop feasible route corridor options, which were presented at a second public consultation in early 2023.
Services provided:
- Project management
- Planning
- Environmental engineering
- Landowner liaison
- Civil engineering design