Broadmeadow Inner Estuary - Swords Malahide Donabate

Swords / Malahide / Donabate

This is an indicative layout of our flagship project - A 10Km multi-purpose trail around the Broadmeadow inner estuary - this will provide a fabulous amenity for the residents of Swords, Donabate and Malahide, and indeed for all of the people of Fingal and beyond. This trail is less than five miles from Dublin Airport, and has the potential to become a significant eco-tourist attraction. This will form part of the proposed 'Fingal Coastal Way', a 35 mile long pedestrian and cycle way along the coast linking Meath with Dublin city. It will also be on the proposed Dublin-Belfast cycle route. While much of the route shown in the map can be safely walked / cycled today, a number of parts are dangerous, others impassible: The Swords (West) end of the estuary has a narrow dangerous road. There is a second dangerous road (Barrack Bridge) at Caves’ Marsh on the southern shore ( A pedestrian/cycle boardwalk is planned). However, the most important 'missing link' is a pedestrian/cycle bridge beside the railway line that crosses the eastern end of the estuary. To get this bridge built, Fingal residents must lobby their local councillors. Contact details for councillors: www.fingalcoco.ie/YourLocalCouncil/Councillors/ You can see a photo of this beautiful estuary and register your support for the development of this trail at www.FingalSafeCycling.blogspot.com The picture is at http://fingalsafecycling.blogspot.com/2006/09/flagship-project-and-other-proposed.html Related information: Transportation Objective T028 in the Fingal Development Plan 2005-2011 states: 'To prepare and implement on a progressive basis a programme for the development of the Fingal Coastal Way for pedestrians and cyclists, extending from the county boundary with Dublin City to the county boundary with County Meath.' See: www.fingalcoco.ie/devplan/yourfingal/Stage4/written_statement/index.html The Donabate Strategic Environmental Assessment (MArch 2006) states: 153: That Fingal County Council seeks the provision of a public walkway/cycleway through the Western side of Variation 34 Lands in Donabate and along the existing railway embankment across the Malahide Estuary, in consultation with Iarnrod Eireann within the lifespan of this Development Plan. See: http://www.fingalcoco.ie/YourLocalCouncil/Services/Planning/PlanningItemsOnDisplay/DonabateDraftLAP/SEA/report.pdf In Jan 2007, the Irish Sports Council launched a 'World Class Trails Strategy' with the objective of developing multi-purpose trails catering for walkers, hikers and cyclists across Ireland - building upon the 8000+ km of walking trails already in place.