Appeal to Bundoran and Ballyshannon people to view 'Active Travel' proposals

A public display of the preliminary designs for potential projects for Ballyshannon and Bundoran under the "Active Travel" Scheme will take place tomorrow (Thursday) in both towns.

And county councillors Cllr Michael McMahon (SF) and Cllr Barry Sweeny are encouraging locals and interested parties to actively engage with the information sessions.  

Donegal County Council is seeking to establish a high quality continuous footway and cycleway route from Ballyshannon to Bundoran along the R267 Finner Road and to implement a one-way system on Bishop Street, Ballyshannon in order to reallocate road space to active travel infrastructure.

The aim of the consultation is to seek the public’s view on the preliminary design proposals through the public display of the preliminary designs.   

Young cyclists making their way via Bishop Street into Ballyshannon

It is hoped that the Ballyshannon - Bundoran Cycleway will ultimately form part of the Erne Atlantic Way,  linking Fermanagh with the Wild Atlantic Way.

The projects are said to promote active travel journeys from residential areas to key education, employment, commercial, recreational, retail and tourist destinations within Ballyshannon and Bundoran.

The "Bishop Street" Active Travel Scheme is intended to create a safe walking and cycle path from a residential area into town. 

This will also, in effect, extend the popular Jim White Road Loop and add to a network of walk/cycle options for locals and visitors.

Cllr Michael McMahon emphasised the importance that people attend the Bundoran Ballyshannon cycleway at the Apartotel in Bundoran, which would be a game changer for both towns in terms of transport and “active travel” into the future. 

Cllr Barry Sweeny added that there was a “serious need” for safety measures as one came into Bishop Street in Ballyshannon , with pedestrian access issues further out that road from Woodlands to Abbey Lane and he urged locals to view the proposals at St Anne’s Hall in Ballyshannon.

He emphasised that the proposals were about active travel, safety and the future, not the creation of a one way system, and which was being portrayed in a negative way by some.

The two projects that are up for public discussion

“We are not trying to create a one way system, we are trying to create a safe active route into town as it will be with the Ballyshannon/Bundoran cycleway proposals. 

The DCC Design Team are holding the information sessions to present the preliminary design to the public and to allow feedback.

A Public Display of the preliminary designs will take place in Bundoran at the  Atlantic Apartotel, Main Street, Bundoran on Thursday June 29 (tomorrow) between 12pm and 2pm and in Ballyshannon’s St Anne’s Hall, between 3pm and 7pm later that afternoon.