New route to be sought as plan to extend Limerick Greenway into city meets a roadblock

PLANS for Limerick's newest Greenway have been "seriously delayed" after design officials said a new route must be found following a "shock" Irish Rail announcement.

In June 2022, the Mid-West Road Design Office appointed consultants to look at the feasability of having a Greenway along the Limerick to Rathkeale rail corridor.

The plan was to have a shared Greenway either "along or adjacent" to the existing rail track.

“The announcement that Irish Rail planned to reopen the line to Foynes took us by surprise. It was a bolt from the blue," an official from the Mid-West Road Design Office said.

Speaking at a meeting of the Adare/Rathkeale Municipal district, he said there are restrictions relating to running a Greenway alongside a live track, such as separation distances.

"The rail corridor is not as attractive as it was. Back in June, Irish Rail were nowehere to be seen. We thought, let's do what we did in Rathkeale to Abbeyfeale in terms of a Greenway. The landscape has changed now. We have to look elsewhere," he said.

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The official pondered whether there are some sections where a potential Greenway could run parallel to the track, and stated that private land poses "even more restrictions."

A completed report is due to be submitted to Transport Infrastructure Ireland (TII), containing proposals on whether the plans can be progressed.

"The fact that Irish Rail decided to reopen the line throws us a curveball," he added.

Cllr Kevin Sheahan (FF) stated that due to the fact that the Shannon Estuary is designated as a Tier 1 Harbour, the EU through Brussels were legally obliged to establish a road or rail link.

"The funding came from Brussels, and this was the condition. How could you not know? This had to happen. This is not the first time state bodies have denied each other information," Cllr Sheahan added.

Cllr Bridie Collins (FF) said there have been promises for this Greenway for the last two to three years, and that significant money has been spent.

She asked if a €150,000 grant for a feasability study to link the Rathkeale Greenway to Adare is now wasted and if the project is now "at an impasse."

"It is not wasted. The plan now is to stress test every route corridor and there will also be a public consultation where we will look at the problems and a possible route. New consultants will also be appointed for phase one," he said.