Welcome to the Kilbeggan to Mullingar Greenway Project
The Project
Westmeath County Council in conjunction with Transport Infrastructure Ireland (TII) intends to deliver a greenway from Kilbeggan to Mullingar. This section of greenway will complete a strategic link between the established greenway infrastructure on the Grand Canal Greenway (linking Kilbeggan with Tullamore) and the Old Rail Trail/ Royal Canal Greenways (linking Mullingar with Athlone, Dublin, and Longford). This will provide a high-quality greenway, designed to promote cycling, walking and other non-motorised travel.
In 2023, WCC appointed RPS to deliver the Kilbeggan to Mullingar Greenway Project through Phases 1 to 4 of the TII Project Management Guidelines.
Progress to Date
In Phase 1 (Concept and Feasibility), the first non-statutory public consultation for the Kilbeggan to Mullingar Greenway Project was held in May 2023 and displayed the study area for the project. Feedback from the first public consultation helped inform the identification of areas of interest and constraints, which in turn informed the development of route corridor options within which a route for the greenway could be developed.
In Phase 2 (Options Selection), two feasible route corridor options were identified to connect tourism and leisure attractions and use publicly owned land where possible. Both route corridor options start in Kilbeggan Harbour and end in Mullingar with one corridor to the west of Lough Ennell and one corridor to the east of Lough Ennell.
A second public consultation was held in May 2024 where the two route corridor options were displayed. Feedback from the second public consultation helped inform the appraisal process of the route corridor options. Other factors that were considered in the appraisal included the project objectives, the locations of attractions within the corridors, and environmental constraints.
Following the completion of the Options Selection appraisal an Emerging Preferred Route Corridor will be selected for the Kilbeggan to Mullingar Greenway.
What's Happening Now
The project is currently in Phase 2 (Options Selection). This phase involves the assessment of the route corridor options to identify a preferred route. Landowner engagement along the route corridor options has been underway since April 2024 and will continue through Phase 2 and subsequent phases. The assessment of the route corridor options will be undertaken in accordance with the Strategy for the Future Development of National and Regional Greenways, the Code of Best Practice for National and Regional Greenway, and Transport Infrastructure Ireland (TII) Project Management and Project Appraisal Guidelines.
The project team are currently gathering information on the two route corridor options. As part of this information gathering there will be ecological walkover surveys carried out within the route corridor options commencing in April 2025. This includes undertaking breeding bird surveys. An aerial LiDAR (Light Detection and Ranging) survey including orthomosaic photography will also be carried out by a fixed-wing aircraft operating at altitude in April/ May 2025 to collect digital information for the design process.
It is anticipated that an Emerging Preferred Route Corridor Option will be published in summer 2025 and will be accompanied by Public Consultation No. 3 Emerging Preferred Route Corridor Option.
Public Consultation No. 2 Route Corridor Options
The consultation period for Public Consultation No. 2 Route Corridor Options closed on 14th June 2024. We want to thank everyone who made a submission during the consultation period. Submissions received during the consultation will be taken into consideration in the selection of a preferred route corridor. Please note that consultations with individual landowners will be continuing. If you are a landowner and wish to discuss the project, please email us at info@kilbeggantomullingargreenway.ie, or call us on 087 671 3210.
Details shown during the consultation including maps and project information are still available to view here and in the virtual consultation platform at the link below.
