The Waterford Greenway is a spectacular 46km cycle route in a stunning part of Ireland. But a proposal to start raising fees from many users is being met with opposition locally.
Charge of €5 mooted for Waterford Greenway
A proposal to introduce a €5 fee for car parks at the Waterford Greenway has been met with opposition.
Car parks beside the greenway have been under severe pressure at times, such has been the popularity of the greenway.
Years in the planning and construction and with €15 million invested to make it happen, the Waterford Greenway finally opened in March.
The local council immediately identified the need for more car park spaces. Walkers and cyclists had flocked to the 46km route even in the months before the launch.
And when the facility was officially opened its popularity soared further.
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However, Cllr Damien Geoghegan of Waterford City and County Council has now said he is opposed to a Sinn Fein proposal to introduce a parking fee of €5 for the car parks.
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“This is a proposal that was put forward by a Sinn Fein councillor at a meeting this month and it’s one that I would completely reject out of hand,” he said.
“The Greenway has been a phenomenal success for Waterford City and county since it opened last March.
“We’ve had a fantastic summer from a tourism point of view.
“But the notion that we would now, or at any stage, put a charge on motorists or visitors is something that would have to be rejected out of hand”.
The new greenway stretches from the outskirts of Waterford City to Dungarvan. It follows the former Great Southern and Western Railway line.
It is being marketed at home and abroad as part of Ireland's Ancient East.
The route hugs the coast for a long stretch, offering spectacular sea views. And because the path was effectively set out by the old railway lines, the construction was made easier.
Its surface is of excellent quality, making it perfect for cycling.
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