Route corridor chosen for Athlone to Galway cycleway

An outline of the route for the long-awaited Athlone to Galway cycleway has been decided.

The emerging preferred route corridor, revealed for the first time this morning (Tuesday), takes in Shannonbridge and includes a link with Ballinasloe, before travelling through east and south Galway, visiting Portumna, Gort, Kinvara and Oranmore before reaching Galway city.

The project team stated that this route corridor was chosen because it offers "a highly scenic route from Galway to Athlone" with lots to do along the way.

"It travels through a wide variety of landscapes, from the edge of Galway Bay, the Burren Low Lands, the Slieve Aughty mountains, the river Shannon and the midlands bogs, and will be attractive to domestic and international users.

"It visits Ballyloughane Beach, Oranmore, Rinville, Clarinbridge, Kilcolgan, Kinvara, Coole Park, Gort, Woodford, Portumna, Meelick, Clonfert, Ballinasloe, Shannonbridge and Athlone Castle, linking places of interest, established tourism centres, public parks and outdoor spaces."

During a public consultation process at the beginning of this year, five route corridor options went out to public consultation and there was a huge response, with over 10,000 submissions being made.

Fine Gael Senator Aisling Dolan welcomed the announcement of the route corridor and, in particular, its link with her native Ballinasloe.

"I'm proud to see the town of Ballinasloe recognised as a major location on the Galway to Athlone Cycleway. It is the result of a powerful team effort by all groups in the area," she said.

Information on the emerging preferred route corridor is due to go on display on the project website from tomorrow (Wednesday) to January 31, and the project team said they would welcome any information that would help finalise the cycleway route within the chosen route corridor.

* For more, see this week's editions of the Westmeath Independent and Offaly Independent