The Irish Natura and Hill Farmers’ Association (INHFA) has called for a cost-benefit analysis to be carried out on the government’s greenways programme, claiming that it is “running out of steam”.
The government has allocated €360 million per year for sustainable walking and cycling developments, under which funding for greenways is provided.
INHFA vice-president John Joe Fitzgerald said: “It is reasonable to ask who is going to be using them especially when we see the dramatic fall in numbers on prominent greenways such as the Great Western Greenway in Co. Mayo.
“While hotel availability has been cited as a possible factor in the falling numbers we should also recognise that there is a ceiling on the number of people that will partake in this activity, and consequently, the offering should acknowledge this fact.”
Fitzgerald said that it is “vital” that the government recognise that it’s greenway ambitions “could be running out of steam”.
He called for the funding allocated to them to be used to deliver “better outcomes”, such as the national road network.
“On this basis we are asking that the government carries out a cost benefit analysis on the greenway programme prior to the start-up of any new projects,” the INHFA vice-president said.
Outside of the cost issue, Fitzgerald also expressed concern around the approach taken by some county councils when looking to acquire land for greenways.
“We have seen enormous pressure applied on local residents to acquiesce to greenway routes that will impact heavily on their farming enterprise, undermine their privacy, and cause significant [disturbance] in accessing their homes and businesses,” he said.
“This pressure has seen landowners threatened with the possibility of compulsory purchase orders (CPOs), and [being guilt tripped] with the line that this will be ‘good for the community’ and ‘do they really want to hold-up progress’,” Fitzgerald added.
Fitzgerald said that the option of CPOs “should never be used for greenways as they are not critical infrastructure”.
On future greenway projects, he said county councils “need to look again at how they deal with landowners and communities”, calling for “active ongoing engagement”.