The long-awaited cycling and walking greenway along the river Dodder on Dublin’s southside could see sports fans leave their cars at home and opt to cycle to matches in the Aviva Stadium on big game days instead, Minister for Transport Eamon Ryan has said.
Mr Ryan, who is also Minister for the Environment and leader of the Green Party, was addressing a public meeting of about 100 people in The Dropping Well pub in Milltown on Thursday. He also indicated the greenway would encourage staff of companies located in Ballsbridge to cycle, relieving the traffic logjam in the area.
“You know the traffic when there is a match at the Aviva Stadium – all that traffic should be cycling down to the match,” he said. “All those employers down in Ballsbridge. All of them come from Rathgar, Rathfarnham, Knocklyon, Firhouse. That’s not a far cycle.
“There is a social gain. I’m absolutely convinced if we put in a good end-to-end solution here, it will transform the whole length of the river in terms of everyday use. For Marian College, St Michael’s, Muckross, all the schools along the route.
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“They can then cycle to school, or walk, in a safe way. This is why it is important to get it right.”
The 24km riverside route, from the Grand Canal docks to the Bohernabreena reservoirs at Glenasmole in the Dublin mountains, has seen cyclists and walkers at loggerheads since it was first proposed more than 10 years ago.
Dublin City Council and Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council are refocusing their resources on the river Dodder greenway to work on quicker-build “interim” sections of the project, which was originally costed at €22 million. South Dublin County Council has largely completed the stretch running from Rathfarnham to Tallaght.
[ Council unveils revised route for greenway in south DublinOpens in new window ]
The section through Milltown is one of the last outstanding pieces of the project, with construction due to start later this year. Dublin City Council has changed its initial plans, which would have seen the route run on the south side of the river through proprety owned by Milltown Golf Club. The revised route would run on the northern side, and will not encroach on the club.
Mr Ryan previously explained that routing the greenway through property owned by Milltown Golf Club could be done by way of a compulsory purchase order of club’s land.
However, he said on Thursday that the golf club has indicated it may agree to the move if three-quarters of its members back it.
He urged the club to try this option for three years, which would involve a pathway of three to four metres wide running along the perimeter of the practice area, which could continue to operate.
“They’re concerned and nervous, which is understandable,” he said. “My understanding is that the golf club is saying that if 75 per cent of members agree to it, they would be willing to facilitate it.
“I think the advantage of that for the golf club is that you will not have a compulsory purchase order. They will still own it. But the council would effectively take charge of it for the use of the greenway.
“But this is not certain. In my mind, if we got a majority of members, it would be doable. I think the majority of members of Milltown Golf Club might just vote for that. How that would be presented to the members and organised is a matter for the golf club.”
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