A proposal by Westport Urban District Council to build a motorway along the picturesque Railway Line Walk in the shadow of Croagh Patrick has met with serious opposition from residents in the town.
The 1 1/2-mile walk, which follows the last section of the old Achill-Westport railway line, has a historical heritage considered by many to be of far greater significance than a new motorway.
Throughout the 1800s and for much of the 1900s, thousands of emigrants travelled the route of Railway Line Walk to Westport Quay, where the emigrant ships waited. A bid to preserve the old path some years ago had in fact been undertaken by Westport UDC in association with Mayo County Council, which contracted staff to construct an embankment along the old walk.
"The casual extinguishing of this contemplative walk, which was cut through rock and built by the labour of many hands, is not something which residents and conservation groups in Westport are prepared to take lightly," said one concerned resident.
He added: "This peaceful walk is one of the best amenities in the town and provides much pleasure to strollers, dog-walkers, runners and ordinary people who enjoy this short-cut between the quay and Westport town.
"It is the only remaining place where a Westport resident or visitor can have a quiet walk, free of the noise and fumes of traffic, and most people here feel the railway walk is a vital lung which must, at all costs, be preserved."
The proposal by Westport UDC to build a motorway between the railway bridge and Leenane Road is in line with the need to open up new land in the town for housing development. Westport is just another town in the Celtic Tiger economy experiencing huge housing demands, from both the public and private sectors.
The Westport town manager, Mr Padraig Hughes, has given an assurance that no work will begin on the walk until all nine councillors have examined the proposal in detail. It will be months before the plans are even ready to come before the council.
In the absence of these plans, two of the nine councillors have already publicly stated they are opposed to the motorway, which is also to include a walking/cycle lane.
Mounting opposition to the destruction of Railway Line Walk is becoming evident every week as more and more people participate in the weekly walk-ins being staged along the route.
Westport Civic Trust and An Taisce have also become involved.