The long awaited plans for the Malahide to Donabate Greenway, crossing the Broadmeadow Estuary in North Dublin have been submitted by Fingal County Council to An Bord Pleanála. As usual we in Dublin Cycling Campaign have been on the ball and made a detailed submission on the plans. And, while we are delighted to see this proposed scheme, and vital link in the Fingal Coastal Way, moving ahead, there are a number of elements of the proposal we are unhappy with.

We have outlined our thoughts in the submission attached below but, in summary while we broadly welcome the concept of the proposed greenway and in particular the long awaited crossing of the Broadmeadow Estuary, we are disappointed with a number of critical elements. In particular these are:
1 No inclusion of links to main urban settlements, transport hubs, and existing or proposed cycle routes.
2 A lack of vision in a number of areas which, through the use of CPO powers, could have resulted in a more direct and attractive greenway, and the introduction of visitor attracting features.
3 Lack of adherence to the national recommended greenway standards, particularly in the below standard widths, and ignoring of major elements of the national cycle manual.
4 Treating cyclists as pedestrians at the majority of road crossings, all of which need to be upgraded.
5 The possibility of creating a specially attractive bridge crossing of the estuary, which would make a statement on the route.

Check out our full submission in the PDF below