What is a Greenway?
A Greenway is “a recreational or pedestrian corridor reserved exclusively for non-motorised journeys, developed in an integrated manner which enhances both the environment and quality of life of the surrounding area. These Routes should meet satisfactory standards of width, gradient and surface condition to ensure that they are both user-friendly and low risk for users of all abilities.” (Lille Declaration, European Greenways Association, 12 September 2000).
Further defined by TII “a Greenway is a cycleway, or other, that caters for people walking, wheeling and cycling in a mainly recreational environment.” A typical section and an artist’s impression of a greenway is shown below:
Typical Section of a Greenway.
Artist’s impression of a typical Greenway.
Regional Greenways – Transport Infrastructure Ireland (TII) funded projects.
Donegal County Council, through funding from Transport Infrastructure Ireland and the Department of Transport (DoT), has an extensive programme of greenway infrastructure projects under development across the county at present. It plans to develop a network of high-quality greenways over the coming years, as part of the wider sustainable transport programme. This programme aims to achieve the many benefits that this type of development can bring in terms of climate change, economic development, health, and leisure amenity, in addition to sustainable transport links to many of the county’s picturesque locations.
The Department of Transport is a department of the Government of Ireland that is responsible for transport policy and overseeing transport services and infrastructure. Their mission is ‘to deliver an accessible, efficient, safe and sustainable transport system that supports communities, households and businesses’. The department is led by the Minister for Transport and the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications who is assisted by a Minister of State. The official headquarters and ministerial offices of the department are in Leeson Lane, Dublin 2 but there are also regional offices in Killarney, County Kerry, and Loughrea, County Galway.
Transport Infrastructure Ireland was established through a merger of the National Roads Authority and the Railway Procurement Agency under the Roads Act 2015, with effect from 01/08/15. The TII's primary function is to provide an integrated approach to the future development and operation of the national roads network and light rail infrastructure throughout Ireland. TII brings together two organisations to provide high quality transport infrastructure and services, delivering a better quality of life, supporting economic growth and respecting the environment.
The management and delivery of the greenways will be completed in a phased approach using the framework provided in the TII published Project Management Guidelines (PE-PMG-02041). These guildelines will be used in conjunction with The Code of Best Practice for National and Regional Greenways which was developed by the Department of Transport and can be found here.
There are currently six projects at various stages of the TII process throughout Donegal, namely:
More information and current progress on these projects may be found on the project specific websites by following the above links.
Indicative locations of the Greenways at the design stage in Donegal
Previously Completed Greenway Projects by Donegal County Council
THE NORTH WEST GREENWAY NETWORK – Interreg VA funded projects
The North West Greenway Network (NWGN) is a number of cross-border greenway routes developed by Donegal County Council in the Republic of Ireland and Derry and Strabane District Council in Northern Ireland. In 2015, Derry City and Strabane District Council (DCSDC) and key sustainable transport stakeholders including Donegal County Council (DCC), Transport NI (TNI) and Sustrans NI, formally established the Active & Sustainable Travel Forum (ASTF).
In terms of greenway development, the Forum’s vision is set out in the cross-border North West Greenway Plan:
“To develop a cross border network of greenways that link people with places locally, regionally and nationally – bringing social, economic and environmental well-being to all.”
As a first phase of Plan implementation in 2016, the Forum sought funding to:
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Construct 46.5km of cross-border greenway and cycling/walking routes.
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Encourage a minimum of 500 people to cycle or walk to school, work or college.
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Reduce carbon dioxide emissions entering our atmosphere by over 300 carbon tonnes per annum.
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Encourage more people to walk and cycle as part of their daily routine.
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Invest in the wider economic and social infrastructure in the North West Region
In December 2016 the North West Greenway Network Project was awarded €14.8 million funding by the European Union through their INTERREG VA funding programme to construct 46.5km of cross-border greenway, towards a total project. Match-funding has also been provided by the Department for Infrastructure in Northern Ireland and the Department of Transport in Ireland.
The greenway projects completed as part of the North West Greenway Network are:
- Strabane to Lifford Greenway
- Derry to Muff Greenway
- Muff to Quigley's Point Greenway
- Lifford to Castlefinn Greenway
North West Greenway Network – Lifford section of the Strabane to Lifford Greenway
Completed in 2021, this project provides a cross-border linkage of a high-quality Greenway facility between Lifford and Strabane facilitating modal shift towards active travel between the two border towns via Lifford Bridge, supporting and enhancing the achievement of the NWGN objectives. Derry City and Strabane District Council’s Planning Committee approved plans to develop a £1m cycling and walking route in Strabane. The development a 3.5km route constructed in the town, connecting the A5, Derry Road, Canal Basin, River Mourne Flood Wall, and Strabane Retail Park. Proposals also include amendments to existing road kerb alignments, new road markings and signage, drainage, hard and soft landscaping, new path lighting and adjustments to existing road lighting and boundary treatments.
A section of the completed Strabane to Lifford Greenway.
North West Greenway Network – Muff Section of the Derry to Muff Greenway
Completed in 2022, this project provides cross-border linkage of a high-quality greenway facility from Muff to the commuter settlement of Culmore and connecting into the wider network of urban Greenways in Derry. The Donegal section of the project consists of a 2.3km of greenway in and around the village of Muff in Co. Donegal. It will connect to a proposed Greenway to be constructed by Derry City and Strabane District Council at the county border. The greenway consists of 1316m of 3m wide asphalt concrete path situated along the side of the adjacent road, 580m of shared surface, combined local road and greenway, and 407m of offline pathway not immediately adjacent to a road. The entire length of the greenway is lighted and has access control gates and fences where appropriate to prevent motorised traffic from using the greenway.
Sections of the completed Muff Greenway.
North West Greenway Network – Muff to Quigley’s Point Greenway
Completed in 2024, this project is from the urban environs of the R238 in Muff (specifically at the tie in or termination point of the Muff to Derry Greenway) and a temporary tie in location in the townland of Three Trees. The route is approximately 5 kilometres in length and comprises of a rural setting with businesses and agriculture land use. It is hoped that the proposed Three Trees to Carndonagh Greenway will link with this Greenway in the near future.
Section of the completed Muff to Quigley’s Point Greenway.
Official opening of the Muff to Quigley’s Point Greenway in May 2024.
North West Greenway Network – Lifford to Castlefinn Greenway
Completed in 2024, this project provides a high-quality Greenway facility which connects the urban environs of the N15 in Lifford (specifically at the end of the 60kph speed limit zone) to the Community Resource Centre in Castlefinn. The route is approximately 7.5 kilometres in length and comprises of a mainly rural setting with predominantly agricultural land use and some residential and business use. As the Lifford to Strabane Greenway was completed as part of the North West Greenway Network, this project forms a natural extension of same to provide a broader scope for recreational and commuter use in this region.
Section of the Lifford to Castlefinn Greenway.
Official opening of the Lifford to Castlefinn Greenway in May 2024.