Mayo Development Section Mayo County Council RE: SUBMISSION FROM SWINFORD TRIATHLON CLUB IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF CYCLE ROUTES IN THE SWINFORD AREA. Dear Sir/Madam, With reference to above we believe that a developments those outlined in this submission has the potential of providing immense benefits to not only the local cyclists but to the local com- munity as a whole and indeed to the greater Mayo , South Sligo and West Roscommon areas. As Knock International Airport is located so near , Swinford is ideally located and provides a gateway to a broad range of tourist attractions. These benefits are discussed briefly in the concluding chap- ters of this report. Though the Covid 19 restrictions have reduced traffic volume on our roads, the normal volume of traffic has increased significantly since these proposals were last submitted over six years ago. In order to cover most matters which we deem relevant to cycling, we have provided much of the information though a Questionnaire based on a “Question and Answer” format so that the infor- mation contained therein can be evaluated as to the feasibility of proceeding or not with the project. Is cycling popular in the Swin- Cycling activities in the Swinford are extremely popular. ford area? Swinford is home to both a cycling and a triathlon club which attract membership from all of the nearby towns and villages. 1 What are the most popular The following are some of the routes. Maps per- routes used by cyclists? taining to same are at the end of this report and are listed as EXHIBITS. EXHIBIT 1 Swinford/Charlestown - 22km EXHIBIT 2 Swinford /Carracastle -40km EXHIBIT 3 Swinford/Cuillaun/Airport/Charlestown - 32KM EXHIBIT 4 SWINFORD /MEELICK/TOWER - 15KM EXHIBIT 5 Swinford/Meelick/Oldcastle/Bohola - 22KM EXHIBIT 6 SWINFORD/CALLOW/BALLYLAHAN/BOHOLA- 29KM OTHER ROUTES •Swinford/Kilkelly/Charlestown - •Swinford /Kiltimagh/Balla - •Swinford/ Kiltimagh/Kilkelly •Swinford/Charlestown/Kilkelly •Swinford/Ballaghaderreen/Kilmovee •Swinford/Aclare/Bonniconlon/Ballina/Bonnifinglas •Swinford/Foxford/Pontoon/Park •Swinford/Foxford/MAssbrook/Bofeenaun/Castlebar What road is used most by cy- N5 Castlebar to Carracastle clists ? 2 Why is the N5 so popular? A) Cyclists can use the hard shoulder B) Other than tractors, no other mpv’s use the hard shoulder. C) By using the hard shoulder, other traffic is not imped- ed. D) The surface is good E) The road is well marked. What clubs and others use the ●▪Swinford CC N5? Swinford Triathlon Club ●▪Kiltimagh ●▪Bohola ●▪Turlough ●▪Castlebar ●▪Islandeady ●▪Ballina ●▪Westport ●▪Mayo League and championships (race competitions) ●▪Connacht League and Championship ●▪Cycling Ireland - National championships and paracy- clinng championships ●▪Ballina Triathlon Club -training ●▪Non club members who cycle alone or with one or two others. 3 Is there any one area that is The Swinford to Carracastle return route proves very used more than other on the N5 popular for both leisure and competitive cyclists. The and if so, where? distance is 40km . Cycling Ireland have used this course for the Senior National Time Trial Championships and only a few months ago it was used for the national Master championships. This route is classed as the best 40km time trial route in the country. Why is the above route so pop- The main reason is due to the fact that the Carracastle/ ular? Kilmovee road which forms part of the route travels under the N5 and allows cyclists to cross under the road and join the N5 heading west. Is the old Charlestown/Swinford Rather than turing left at Regans pub , Carracastle, some road used ? cyclists continue on through Charlestown and back to Swinford via the old Road which in areas runs adjacent the old railway line. Which type of Roads do cyclists Leisure cyclist preference are :- prefer? 1) Roads which are quiet and safe. 2) Roads that have a good surface. 3) Roads that are scenic. There are an abundance of scenic roads in the area but they do pose a serious risk to cycling groups and indi- viduals. The racing fraternity preference are roads that are fast, good surface and challenging (hills). If cyclists prefer scenic routes As referred to earlier, the hard shoulder offers cyclist why then are the Primary some degree of safety as in most cases these lanes are routes so popular? used by cyclists and other slow moving traffic. 4 Are hard shoulders on the pri- To a certain degree they are but there are also some mary routes safe? risks which include:- A) The cats-eye road markers along the outside verge of the road, can become very slippy when wet and as a re- sult, can be extremely dangerous. B) Some stop lines exiting from the secondary road onto the primary extend right across the hard shoulder forcing cyclists to cross onto the main thoroughfare. C) At different locations the hard shoulder is decreased or virtually dispensed with. A good example is where the old Swinford Road meets the N5 at Cloonlara. The hard shoulder on both sides of the road is decreased significantly. There is a blind bend on N5 West opposite the Cloonlara junction which can prove hazardous to cyclists. D) High speed of traffic can be daunting for the inexpe- rienced cyclists. E) It is common to find mpv’s parked on the hard shoul- der forcing cyclists out onto the main road. F) There is no physical protection from vehicles using the main road. It is not uncommon to see some mo- torist driving on the hard shoulder. 5 Why Choose Swinford as the Cycling Hub. Swinford by its very location has a host of attractions to offer the local community and tourists alike. Many of the roads in the Swinford area if developed have the potential to provide excel- lent cycling routes of various distances and the terrain is suitable for both the novice and experi- enced cyclists. In view of the fact that Knock Airport just lies a few kilometres from Swinford Town, it provides a gateway to the west of Ireland. The following are just some of the interests:- • Swinford is central to all tourist attractions in Mayo/Sligo/Roscommon/Leitrim and North Galway. • Meelick Tower • Knock Shrine • Hennigans Heritage Centre • Turlough Museum • Abundance of traditional pubs and restaurants in the area. • Car Hire. • Access to Salmon - The River Moy is considered one of the best salmon fishery in Europe • Fishing and boat hire on Callow, Lough Muck Lough Cullin, Lough Conn and of course the great western lakes - Carra, Mask and Corrib. • Beautiful scenery including Callow, Pontoon, Massbrook, Enniscrone and North Mayo- • Open water swimming and seaweed baths - Enniscrone. • Westport town to include visits to Westport House and for the active a day on Croagh Patrick • Cruise on Clew Bay • Access to top class Golf Clubs 6 • Ashford Castle and a trip to Cong village • Boat trip on Lough Corrib • Achill Island. • Ceide Fields • Forest PArk, Boyle • Kilcashel Stone Forth, Kilmovee constructed 2500 - 500 BC • The Cranogs, Lough Gara, Monastraden, Co. Sligo • Sites as those listed above all hold their own special attraction and are all in relatively close proxim- ity to the town of Swinford. The Greenway At the present time there is much discussion and debate regarding the development of Greenways throughout the country. There are two factions, one pro and the other against. In the Swinford/ Charlestown area the development of the old Swinford Charlestown railway line is a project which is to the fore at the moment. On the one hand, there are those who view the facility as a superb re- source that has the potential to serve cyclists, runners, walkers, naturalists etc . On the other hand there are those who believe that to develop a greenway would be the final nail in the coffin to any hope of re-opening the railway. Though people of strong views on both sides, it is important that a compromise would be reached sooner rather than later. The idea of developing the route along- side the actual rail line may be worth considering as there is more than enough land available to do so. There is a huge appetite for the development of both greenway and cycle routes in the area and if the developments were approved, it is reasonable to assume would inject a much needed boost to the local economy and provide safe and enjoyable resources for cyclists to enjoy. 7 Benefits of cycle routes to the local community. As we are all well aware, cycling is of great benefit to both our physical and mental well being. However there are also some other benefits which are rarely highlighted and can have a huge im- pact on cyclists and the environment. Up until the early 1970’s cycling was a popular and economical form of transport. Young people cycled to school, cycled to football training and games, played on their bikes and explored the countryside on bikes. If there was any location of interest in the area, it was visited by bike. These trips provided the kids with great enjoyment, educated them on matters of interest and enhanced their local knowledge. Unfortunately due to the large increase in traffic, roads are too busy and dangerous to navigate by bike, particularly for inexperienced and younger cyclists. As a result , much of our population are devoid of local knowledge, local history and an understanding of cul- ture and traditions that exists within their communities. Some years ago when we organised some sporting events at Callow lake, it was surprising to learn that people who passed these lakes on a regular basis, never saw the lake or knew anything about them. It's seems incredible, but its a fact and shows how little people see when travelling by car.