The controversial greenway between Galway and Athlone could be bound up in legal red tape for years if the consultants do not properly engage with local residents and ensure that the end product will be to their benefit.

That’s according to local Councillor Jimmy McClean who has come up with a different approach to ‘selling’ the concept, which has now been agreed by members of Galway County Council.

This would see the greenway projected as something that would not alone benefit tourists but would also accommodate local householders and landowners in terms of connectivity.

A route which goes from Athlone through Shannonbridge, Meelick, Portumna, Gort, Kinvara and into Galway City has emerged as the preferred option for the €150 million greenway.

The developers of the project – including Galway County Council and Transport Infrastructure Ireland – have said that this route will run through publicly-owned lands as far as possible, including Bord na Mona trails, Coillte forestry roads and ESB-owned property.

Landowners along the preferred route have complained about lack of consultation, expressed fears of their farms being dissected and dread the prospect of Compulsory Purchase Orders (CPOs) being applied to acquire the lands necessary to construct the greenway.

According to Cllr McClearn, the development of a hybrid model that would also benefit residents and landowners along the proposed route was the desired option to see the project through within a realistic timeframe.

The discussion about the 140km Athlone to Galway greenway arose at a meeting of the County Council as a result of a motion from Cllr McClearn who suggested a hybrid model should be applied to the route.

This would involve the provision of several links that would branch out from the main route to different localities along the way – thereby making it user-friendly for local communities.

“It is quite evident that there is huge resistance to what is being proposed at the moment and if there is no change, it will wind up in the courts and face long delays.

“Local farmers and residents in the Meelick and Stoneyisland areas in my Council area are totally opposed to what the consultants have been pursuing up to now.

“They see no benefit for themselves or their families unless the greenway was to become a cycleway in these pinch-point areas as it would mean that children and adults could cycle or walk safely to their neighbours and this would be beneficial to their quality of life.

“It would also give people using the greenway an opportunity to understand and interact with locals, to visit local attractions and understand what services are available locally,” Cllr McClearn added.

This motion was supported by several councillors from all sides of the Council chamber and was accepted by the Council Executive as something that will now be pursued.