GREEN Party TD Brian Leddin has welcomed the news that contracts have been signed for the design of the Limerick-Scariff Greenway. The project, being led by Waterways Ireland in conjunction with the ESB and Limerick and Clare County Councils, will result in a world class greenway stretching from Limerick City Centre along the Shannon, over the Black Bridge near UL, and along the historic Errina Canal to Killaloe and onward to Scariff.
“I’m delighted to hear from Waterways Ireland that they have reached this important next stage in the project. Waterways Ireland are really ambitious for this project, and that ambition is shared by Green Party Minister Malcolm Noonan, who I brought down to Limerick and Clare last year to give him a tour of the proposed greenway route. This contract will bring the entire project to planning stage, including all the necessary environmental studies on what is a corridor of exceptional beauty. I expect that the whole project, including construction, will take approximately three years”, said Brian Leddin TD.
“Starting in Limerick City, the route will travel along the existing path along the Park Canal and the River Shannon, before crossing North over the Black Bridge near UL, which will be restored as part of this project. The greenway will travel along the Errina Canal north to Clonlara and O’Brien’s Bridge, and then beside the Ardnacrusha Headrace and Lough Derg to Killaloe and onwards North to Scariff. This will be a greenway of over 40km in length showing the best of our natural and industrial heritage and will also be an important sustainable commuter route from East Clare into UL and the City”, he continued.
“This is a fantastic project that will make a real difference to the region. With many other greenway projects in train we will have an extensive, connected network linking all our cities and going through the most beautiful landscapes in the country. This will be great for tourism, great for locals and great for the rural economy”, he concluded.
