MY Greenway phase 1 – an accessible, safe and attractive path for walking & cycling for all

Description

Phase 1 of the Midleton to Youghal Greenway between Midleton and Mogeely is the first 8km section of the overall Greenway. This first section was opened to the public in March 2024. The remaining 15km of the Greenway is in construction and will be completed in 2025. The first section of the Greenway has already become an important amenity within the local community.

The Midleton to Youghal Greenway is located on the former railway line through the heart of East Cork. A key benefit of developing the Greenway on the former railway line is that it provides a comfortable and easy gradient for walking and cycling which makes it suitable for people of all ages and abilities.

The Greenway has been developed for the whole community for whole-of-life and aligns with age-friendly objectives by providing a sustainable route for walking and cycling in a safe and accessible traffic free environment and an attractive outdoor space. By focussing on the importance of the environment in terms of overall quality of life, health and wellbeing, the Greenway is already contributing to making East Cork a better place to live and grow older.

Residents of all ages living in the immediate catchment can use the Greenway for daily trips and its off-road nature will appeal to both novice and less confident cyclists or those reluctant to cycle on local roads. The safe and accessible nature of the greenway will therefore encourage people to re-engage with cycling in the interests of mobility in support of healthy active lifestyles. The Greenway provides opportunities for intergenerational fun with friends and family in the outdoors and encourages social interaction with both other users and the local community to counter social isolation.

The Greenway incorporates a strong focus on place making, heritage and local distinctiveness. The trailheads have been designed as places for people to congregate, linger and interact. Within the trailheads, the distinctive horizontal banding is employed to echo the former railway sleepers and evoke the ‘ba-dum, ba-dum’ of the steam train as it slowed on its approach to the stations. Original rail track has been reused as edging detail and the former station buildings have been retained to provide opportunities for future re-use.

An emphasis has been placed on biodiversity enhancement and the protection of trees and hedgerows in the development of the Greenway with the objective of creating a better outdoor environment for all. This will have the benefit of supporting people to maintain and improve their physical health, mobility and overall wellbeing as they age.

The name ‘MY Greenway’ was identified to both reflect the town names of Midleton and Youghal which bookend the journey but also to ensure that Greenway has a personal meaning for every person who uses it: whether that is as a place to meet friends, socialise or make new friends; a safe and accessible place to walk or cycle; a place to rebuild and recuperate after illness or loss; a place to immerse and connect with nature and have fun in the outdoors.

Aim of Initiative

The aim of the initiative is to create an attractive, safe and traffic free environment for people to walk and cycle to support the development of active healthy and connected communities at all stages of life.

Who is it aimed at

MY Greenway is aimed at the whole community for whole-of-life. Incorporating the principles of access for all, the Greenway incorporates age-friendly surfaces and facilities to encourage participation in walking and cycling in a safe and traffic free environment. The Greenway provides an opportunity to connect with nature and as a place to meet, socialise or interact with other users. It incorporates places to stop, rest and linger and is designed to provide an attractive outdoor environment both as a recreational amenity and for sustainable travel to support health and wellbeing as we age.

3 Steps critical to success

1. Understanding who is the Greenway user
   A critical step in the development of the project was to understand who the Greenway user is. By acknowledging that the Greenway is for the whole community for whole-of-life it is possible to appreciate and respond to the detailed design considerations to ensure that it integrates the principles of access for all within an attractive environment which provides for longevity, inclusivity and enduring appeal
2. Appreciating the needs of the Greenway user
   By developing a project for the whole community for whole-of-life it was important to appreciate the design elements which were universal to meeting the needs of people of all ages, abilities and stages of life. Key considerations were accessibility, comfortable gradients and quality user facilities at appropriate locations within an attractive physical environment.
3. Designing for the Greenway user
   Consideration has been given to surface treatment finishes throughout the scheme both in terms of the path design and at the Greenway trailheads. The Greenway incorporates a flat and generally level gradient to facilitate access for all. The trailheads have been designed as attractive public spaces for people to congregate and linger and incorporate a range of user facilities including car and cycle parking, picnic benches and seating, drinking water fountains, bike repair stations and toilets. Seating has also been provided at intervals along the Greenway to provide places to pause and rest.

3 Challenges in Planning / Delivery

1. The challenge will be to ensure that the remainder of the Greenway is completed to provide connectivity to Killeagh and Youghal.
2. The challenge will be to ensure that the Greenway is actively promoted to all members of the community, especially older people, through events and activities that demonstrate the contribution it can make to healthy active communities through all stages of life.
3. The challenge for the future will be to ensure that the Greenway is managed and maintained to a high standard to ensure continued active participation in walking and cycling.

3 Outcomes / Benefits

1. The delivery of an 8km section of off-road, traffic-free safe outdoor space for walking and cycling, accessible by people of all ages and abilities.
2. The delivery of age friendly user facilities at Greenway trailheads including seating, toilet facilities and drinking water fountains.
3. A key measure in terms of outcome is the popularity of the Greenway within the local community. While counters are in place to count user numbers, it is not possible to disaggregate the age profile of Greenway users. It is clear however that Phase 1 of the Greenway is actively used and enjoyed by all age groups for both walking and cycling.