A NUMBER of Government
agencies have been urged to take measures to improve access and safety along
pathways on the Royal Canal route.
Cllr David McGuinness
(FF), a candidate in the Dublin West by-election, has called on bodies such as
Waterways Ireland, the Department of Transport and Fingal County Council to
improve access to the paths that follow the route.
In a programme broadcast
on RTÃ? 1 recently environmentalist and broadcaster Dick Warner began his
journey along the Royal Canal to celebrate its reopening to navigation this
year.
In the programme Warner
and his crew began their journey on a 19th century barge by navigating from the
Liffey Sea Lock to Blanchardstown. Along the way Warner visited Mountjoy Prison
and went fly-fishing in Finglas.
The Royal Canal in the
Dublin West constituency runs from Ashtown to Clonsilla, parallel to the
Maynooth train line.
“The Royal Canal path
has a phenomenal potential as a recreational, transport and tourism corridor
linking the city centre to West Dublin and on to Kildare and further afield,
?
said Cllr McGuinness.
“Residents in the Dublin
15 area will know that the existing Royal Canal path is narrow, mucky and very
dangerous in places.
?
Cllr McGuinness said the
path is used by thousands of walkers, runners and cyclists on a weekly basis.
“If constructed, the
Royal Canal path could provide a safe and car free cycle path linking the
western suburbs of Castleknock, Coolmine and Clonsilla with the city centre,
?
he added.
“Now that the canal has
been restored for boats, it is time for all the interested bodies and
stakeholders to deliver on the real potential that the Royal Canal presents via
the provision of a high quality path along its banks.
?
Cllr Eithne Loftus (FG),
who is also a candidate in the by-election, said plans were already underway to
develop the Royal Canal bank for walkers and cyclists.
“The Department of
Transport, Tourism and Sport has supported the project in the past, and
Minister Leo Varadkar has confirmed to me that the National Transport Authority
is in discussions with Fingal County Council and Dublin City Council on these
plans, in conjunction with Waterways Ireland,
? she said.
A spokeswoman for
Waterways Ireland said that since the filming for the RTE programme, work has
been ongoing at three separate locations to improve the towpath through the
Dublin West area.
“This includes the
stretch from Ashtown to the M50 where a new/replacement path is now almost
complete, from Porterstown to Clonsilla where path widening within the
constraints already mentioned is currently ongoing,
? she stated.
“Although the topography
and nature of the Royal Canal is not comparable to the recently constructed
Grand Canal Green Route, Waterways Ireland is improving the paths for users in
the Dublin West area and working in conjunction with other statutory bodies in
doing this.
?
A spokeswoman for Fingal
County Council said its Green Infrastructure Strategy, which is part of the
County Development Plan, acknowledges the importance of the Royal Canal.
“In recognition of this
we avail of any opportunity to work closely with the other agencies involved in
managing the canals particularly Waterways Ireland and Iarnrod Eireann, along
with adjacent landowners to develop this hugely valuable amenity,
? she stated.
“An example of this
collaborative effort is the new parking scheme at Portersgate, Clonsilla where
the contractor providing the parking is also upgrading the canal path along the
Portersgate frontage of the canal.
“In addition,
pedestrians can now walk from Clonsilla to Leixlip along the Royal Canal, which
was part of the Green Loop Trail, which has been promoted recently by the
council.
?
Northside People
contacted the Department of Transport but they were unavailable at the time of
going to press.