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Walking down the Newry Canal Towpath from WIN yesterday it was hard to miss the number of condoms lying about the path over the course of around a 2km stretch. I counted at least eight assorted items. Perhaps there was a walking orgy that we hadn't been invited to, or perhaps a sponsored Trysexathon or maybe an x rated Newry Canal based film shoot? Probably a good chance that it was none of the above and actually just kids messing about, but it had the same result, a blot on the otherwise clean towpath that no one wants to see on their chilled out stroll.
In the past the towpath has been littered with carry outs and general litter and no shortage of dog poo but this last week or so the towpath has been kept remarkably clean, presumably by Council staff. Would it be too much to ask those throwing their rubbish about to put it in the bin instead and as well as protecting themselves protecting our environment as well?
The Newry Canal Towpath is used by hundreds of people daily and is one of Newry's success stories. Let's keep it that way.
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As champions of Newry us lot at Newry.ie can get a little bit paranoid at times with some things noticed by our 'highly tuned' brains that others might not even think of.
The latest batch of paranoia came when we got a copy of the beautifully produced cycling leaflet "10 Magnificent Cycling Routes Through the Region" from Mourne Mountains and Ring of Gullion. Now as you know I certainly love my cycling. It is one of the best ways to clear the head and keep you positive. Basically anything that encourages more people to take to two wheels has to be applauded.
It was produced back in 2018 but little has changed in the region cycling wise since then. The tourism leaflet gives great background detail and includes a very useful map of each of the 10 routes. Two of the routes are Newry connected but here's the rub .... yes I'm getting more paranoid as I write this ... Eight out of the ten routes encompassing the district start and finish in the same spot (a very useful idea really) while two don't. Which two - Yes you guessed it - The two Newry ones! The first one starts in Newry and finishes in Slieve Gullion and the second one starts in Newry and finishes in Portadown! - Not even in the district that Mourne Mountains and Ring of Gullion serve!
Is the best road in Newry the road out of it?
A not so subliminal message that if you are planning on going on a cycling spin in Newry to see the sights, the best thing you could do is get to h*** out of there! Yes the Newry Canal Towpath which one of the routes take is a fantastic facility and I'd recommend anyone to cycle on it, but even if the leaflet had mentioned that the intrepid tourist could get a train back to Newry it might have helped my paranoia a little. Surely the best road in our city isn't the road out of it?
The eight routes start from Newcastle, Finnis, Castlewellan, Rostrevor, Mullaghbane and Kilkeel and are all highly recommended and you're back from where you left no doubt with renewed vigour for life a few hours after departing. A total of three of the routes start and finish in Kilkeel, with participants spending their money in the fishing town before they leave and after they return. No such luck in Newry!
The leaflet is a wonderful idea and I salute those who painstakingly put it together. A great idea to promote cycling throughout Newry, Mourne and Down but please get us back to Newry.
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On the day last year that king in waiting, Prince Charles was visiting Hillsborough I was embarking on a completely different royal adventure, the mission being to cycle the entire length of the Royal Canal. Starting at Spencer Dock in Dublin the Royal Canal travels 145km to Cloondara in County Longford. Complete with 46 locks unlike Newry Canal the Royal is navigable with many barges moored along the way. Completed in 1817 it was built in competition to the Grand Canal, which had opened 13 years earlier. It cost just over £1.4m to build.
And so it was Tuesday 13 September 2022 I took my trusty bike aboard the early Enterprise from Newry to Connolly and less than five minutes after getting off in the capital, there I was at Spencer Dock on the River Liffey where the Royal Canal starts its journey westward. Being what I would call a 'leisurely cyclist, the plan was to take three days to do the route staying in accommodation along the way, though of course I had nothing booked for the first night - 'sure it will be grand'.
Setting out from Dublin it's a matter of following streets or paths that travel alongside the canal, as the proper greenway part only really starts in Maynooth. It is a pretty interesting trip though with plenty of the unusual along the way. Firstly there was a chance to get up close and personal with the sculpture of Luke Kelly on Sheriff Street complete with wire hair, then it was past Lock Number One and right underneath Croke Park with a chance to view the massive stadium from a completely different angle. Drumcondra not to be outdone has a rather more sedate sculpture of Brendan Behan so I took a moment to stop and chat - one way of course.
What follows is a series of paths alongside the canal ocasionally changing sides, getting into the city suburbs passing lock after lock and then a massive housing development under way at Ashtown. Just an hour after starting The Lock Keeper Bar comes into view. Being trained well I realised this was where I needed to stop though unfortunately it hadn't opened just yet but with the distinct possibility that it could be days before I came across another hostelry I hung around and waited. Suitably refreshed it was time to leave the city.
Who knew that as you drive along the M50 that one of the bridges holds up the water of the Royal Canal. I certainly didn't. Cycling along the M50 aqueduct it gave me a completely different perspective of the road I hate the most. Down there everyone is rushing along, overtaking and undertaking while up here, all the time in the world with not a care in the world.
Crossing the M50 really does give the impression you have left the city well behind. Arriving at the beautiful Castleknock Marina I had no idea that this was the 'end of the line' as far as a path you could cycle easily was concerned, but just five minutes later the former tarred paths which I had got so used to were gone and the grass and mud track with occasional bit of gravel got narrower and narrower. With the aim being to keep the Canal in view, I pressed on, taking a chance with a 'towpath closed' sign. At one stage it was easier to take the bike for a walk with the track being so narrow with a steep drop down to the canal. Easily the most awkward part of the journey, it took around half an hour of walking/ cycling to clear that stretch and after that the path widened out with a mix of gravel path and grass/ mud for the next hour and a half to Maynooth.
The Royal Canal Greenway officially starts in Maynooth travelling the 130km to Cloondara so once I reached here the track was significantly better and easier to follow. Having said that, the journey from Dublin to Maynooth was perhaps made even more interesting by the fact that you didn't know what was coming next. A five hour journey thus far with the occasional snail waving as it past me!
Onwards west we went, reaching Lock 14 of 46. Next stop Kilcock and time for a quick wee Guinness stop in the character filled Murphy's before forging on towards Enfield. Reaching Enfield at 6.45pm it became pretty obvious very quickly that like Bethlehem there was 'no room in the inn'. No doubt it is a wonderful town but thoughts of sleeping in a hedge do affect your judgement.
Eventually though we did get a lead where the person on the other end of the phone didn't say no! Moyvalley Resort were the knights in shining armour and even though it did end up €120 and even though it was half an hour further on it was well worth it. A wonderful hotel. Sitting down to a beautiful meal and a few glasses of wine the difficulties in finding somewhere to stay were soon forgotten. One tip though - If you are going to Moyvalley on your bicycle, once you enter the gates take the first turn right, unlike me who followed the road taking me on a tour right round the estate before reaching the hotel what seemed like a week later. How was I to know the hotel was actually close to the entrance!
Day one over with tired legs but the sense of adventure just warming up!
Check out the photographs below. They are ordered from start of day to finish.
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Opinion piece
A letter written to Newry, Mourne and Down District Council from Dr Julie Harrison, Permanent Secretary of the Department for Infrastructure regarding their planned fixed bridge over Newry Ship Canal just doesn't hold water (pardon the pun).
It's related to DfI plans to build a fixed bridge over Newry Ship Canal as part of their Southern Relief Road project that aims to link the Warrenpoint Dual Carriageway with the A1 to facilitate the movement of traffic to and from Warrenpoint Port.
'Adversely impacts'
Perhaps the most incredible line of all in the letter states the Department's 'concern' in regards to the structure of the bridge that "Any supported span less than 50m adversely impacts on the scheduled monument of Newry Canal." What a strange thing to say - seemingly indicating they are concerned about adversely impacting Newry Canal even though there is absolutely NOTHING that could adversely impact Newry Canal more than their plans to cut off the Canal from shipping traffic forever with the fixed bridge they are building!
At the 3 July Council meeting on the proposal of Councillor Michael Savage, seconded by Councillor Declan McAteer it was agreed that Council write to the Permanent Secretary to ask if engagement could be sought from the Shared Island Unit in the Department of the Taoiseach for an engineering solution to allow access for tall ships and vessels to the Newry Canal and ask what other potential engineering opportunities were there aside from a lifting bridge and if they had all been explored and exhausted. Council at the time also agreed to write to the Shared Island Unit in the Department of the Taoiseach to ask if there was a possibility of bridging the gap in funding for the project but no reply to this has been published as yet.
Dr Harrisons letter goes into great detail about a £50m+ suggestion that the department apparently has looked at, involving putting a lock structure in which would have taken a full day to allow one vessel through! The letter explained it as "a lock gate option which would have necessitated extensive engineering works to achieve the additional 25m clearance required, significantly impacting on the Scheduled Monument. The cost of this option was estimated to exceed £50m. Operation of the lock would have required a significant volume of water (75,000m3) to be pumped in and out for one vessel which would have taken a full day to achieve." Again that would have "significantly" impacted on the Scheduled Monument ... oh please...
Mind-you while mentioning their super expensive £50m+ option, no figure was mentioned for the 'short mid-span' opening, believed to be a 20 metre span that would have allowed shipping traffic through. According to DfI figures via an enquiry from Newry.ie a 20m span opening bridge would cost just an additional £10.4m which INCLUDED an operating and maintenence figure of £4.58m. Even though the letter doesn't include figures for the cheapest option it does add the worrying line that "However, experience confirms that cost savings in construction would be outweighed by the implications of operation and maintenance." even though the O&M figure is already costed in at £4.58m.
Don't mess with our plans
All in all the letter appears to be a 'warning' to Councillors that plans shouldn't be changed at this stage and suggests the fixed bridge is a 'done deal'. The final shot across the bow (obviously the bow of a ship that's mast is less than 12m in height) is another warning that any changes at this stage would delay the scheme.
I think Newry people would be happy with as much delay as is necessary to ensure that the City's best asset is protected and left open to tall ships and yachts for generations to come.
The Letter
Dear Marie,
EMERGENCY NOTICE OF MOTION - FIXED BRIDGE DESIGN FOR NEWRY SOUTHERN RELIEF ROAD
Thank you for your letter dated 7 July 2023 regarding the decision by the Department for Infrastructure to adopt a non-opening 50-metre fixed bridge as its preference for the Newry Southern Relief Road.
It is my understanding from your letter that Newry Mourne and Down District Council has suggested that the Department engage with the Shared Island Unit. Departmental colleagues will continue to advance the project, however, any contribution or support for any project from the Irish Government would be a matter for them to consider.
To be clear again, the Department explored all engineering options for the crossing of Newry Canal. These included a lock gate option which would have necessitated extensive engineering works to achieve the additional 25m clearance required, significantly impacting on the Scheduled Monument. The cost of this option was estimated to exceed £50m. Operation of the lock would have required a significant volume of water (75,000m3) to be pumped in and out for one vessel which would have taken a full day to achieve.
Any supported span less than 50m adversely impacts on the scheduled monument of Newry Canal. Unsupported spans opening less than 10m, that would accommodate a mast, were also considered. Designs included a short mid-span opening or sliding section. However, experience confirms that cost savings in construction would be outweighed by the implications of operation and maintenance. These forms of openings settle over time, because of their function and traffic loading making them inappropriate for the loading imposed by a strategic road of this significance.
I would also note that any change to the design of the bridge at this stage would ultimately delay the delivery of the scheme. The period of delay would be subject to the level of amendments required.
Yours sincerely
Julie Harrison
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Opinion -
Newry is never going to progress until the issue of ugly shutters that adorn virtually every shop and premises on the city's streets is addressed. There are many reasons for them being in use in the first place, the most obvious one being that a generation ago during the troubles they were a way to try to stop your premises being firebombed, but they even failed at that as the arsonists just put the devices in the shops before they closed.
Why would anyone want to take a walk down Hill Street of a weekend or of an evening. The complete ambience of the area is menacing coupled with a distinct air of dereliction created mostly by these steel fortifications. I feel a major issue around shutters is the fact that most business people that own or run businesses in Newry don't actually live close by and therefore don't see the damage that their decision to protect their premises millitary strength is doing to the ambience of the city.
In recent years a handful of passionate businesses have decided to leave the shutters off their premises and this is to be very much welcomed, but until this drip becomes a tide Newry is lost.
Many reasons are given for retaining the shutters in front of premises but considering most other parts of the world can manage and prosper quite well without them you have to wonder if the concept is just so far ingrained into local business peoples psyche that they can't see another way? Two reasons that are oft repeated are 'we can't get insurance if we don't have the shutters' and 'We'd only be broken into' both of which, while they have merit should not be used to hold the rest of the population of Newry to ransome. Insurance companies do insure many premises without shutters and in instances where valuable products are stocked the shopkeeper most likely always store these items in a safe anyway when leaving.
Of course our local authorities such as the Department for Communities or Council could give incentives for premises to improve their shop fronts, something that would lead to more people living above the shops and the removal of these monstrosities, why they don't is anyones guess. Can they not see the dire state our high streets are in once the business people go home?
Streets with bright shop frontages showing their produce contribute massively to the look and feel of an area and would see the streets used more and even encourage people to go into those same shops on a Monday morning to buy that item they saw in the window. Perfect advertising.
Public realm works of the past and in the future to improve the street furniture of our streets with seating and planting are all for nought if they ignore the 'elephant in the room'.
Are any more local business people going to make the move and help to bring life and vibrance back to our city?
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Opinion
When the Department for Infrastructure builds its fixed bridge as promised over the historic Newry Ship Canal, a listed heritage monument, it will sound the death knell for not just the Ship Canal but for any possibility of Newry City ever reaping a tourism dividend in the future.
Do us residents of this city which dates back to 1157 and beyond want to sit back and allow this to happen to what is the oldest canal in Ireland having opened in 1742?
The bridge is part of their plans for the Southern Relief Road from the Warrenpoint Dual Carriageway to the Belfast-Dublin road that will travel over the Newry River and the Newry Ship Canal through Bensons Glen and join the A1.
Lets dispel a few myths first:
Myth 1: The Southern Relief Road Project is for the benefit of Newry - The SRR is NOT for the benefit of Newry. If it was, there would be an opening bridge over our iconic and stunning canal. The SRR is for the benefit of Warrenpoint Port and Belfast.
Myth 2: The bridge isn't designed to be opened because of cost - This project has been granted £93.4m in 2021. The Department for Infrastructure have stated that an opening bridge including years of operating and maintenance would cost an extra £10.4m (£5.82m for bridge and £4.58m for operating and maintenance). With current inflation the SRR project most likely has overrun by tens of millions of pounds already. Another 10 million or so on such a large project is small change.
Myth 3: The SRR is essential as it will somehow solve Newry's traffic problems - Do I even have to address this one. Newry and everywhere elses traffic problems are caused by too many vehicles not too few roads. Less articulated lorries in Newry will soon be replaced by more and more vehicles and we are back to square one, only our Canal is gone for good! A new road bring more traffic not less. And don't forget the new road would be a perfect route to take into or out of town via Kilmorey Street, missing out all those pesky traffic lights on the Dublin Road.
Myth 4: It will lead to a much better air quality in our city - With the new road attracting lots more lorries to and from Warrenpoint climbing up that long hill to the Flagstaff the additional emmisions have to go somewhere with the potential to add to our city's polution woes not lessen them.
Outrageous
The proposal that we should destroy Newry Ship Canal and 250 years of maritime heritage for a road that will provide no benefit to Newry and will almost certainly make air quality and traffic congestion worse than it is now, is outrageous and a complete insult to our community.
Around 50 years ago houses in North Street and Water Street in Newry were bulldozed and a major road ripped the heart out of our town, Let's not make the same mistake we made in the 1960's by allowing Belfast bureacrats to once more devastate Newry's heritage for the benefit of Belfast's economy.
The Department for Infrastructure are currently holding a Environmental Impact Assessment Consultation for their Southern Relief Road project.
Please send your comments on how you feel the bridge/road will impact the environment and Newry to nsrrConsultations@aecom.com as soon as possible, but no later than 25th September 2023.
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Opinion
What strange but opulent times we live in, a time when the Stormont Executive tell us that they have no money, but yet the Newry area can look forward to not one but two multi million pound bridges being built over the Newry River and Newry Ship Canal, just a few miles apart. One open to allow tall ships in to the Albert Basin, one closed to make sure they don't get in! Any wonder many Newry people are confused about which bridge is which and what is or isn't affordable!
An Open and Shut case
You just couldn't make it up. The 'Fianna Fáil Bridge' also known as the Narrow Water Bridge, a creation of Fianna Fáil together with a little help from their in-government coalition, is designed to enhance north-south links via road and water, with an opening bridge allowing ships all the way up Newry Ship Canal into the heart of Newry City. Meanwhile the 'Sinn Fein Bridge' otherwise known as the more convoluting Southern Relief Road Bridge is designed to block the possibility of north-south water links, with it's fixed structure confirmed by Sinn Fein Minister for Infrastructure John O'Dowd in late April.
On the one hand you have Fianna Fáil a party which doesn't have a presence here, keeping open an all Ireland link for ships to travel from Carlingford Lough (and the world) to Newry, and on the other hand the party who relish forging all Ireland links, shutting the aforementioned shipping link via Ireland's oldest canal forever.
While Fianna Fáil are all too happy to revel in the glory of their 'poster boy' Narrow Water Bridge, a "cable-stayed bridge with rolling bascule opening span that enables tall ships, leisure craft and other marine vessels access to the Victoria Lock and the Albert Basin in Newry, Co Down", Sinn Féin are more low key, their minister promising a fixed bridge over Newry Ship Canal that will make sure those pesky Fianna Fáil tall ships and leisure craft never make it here to spend money in our city.
It's all the tories fault! One Sinn Féin MLA is quoted as saying "significant financial constraints placed on the Executive due to Tory Government underfunding has meant a lifting bridge isn't affordable." A lifting bridge according to DfI would cost an extra £10m (Approx £5m for bridge and £5m for maintenance) - less than 10% of the total project cost to preserve the heritage of our city.
Ultimately for Newry City, if an opening bridge cannot be included, the road should not be built at all. Fifty years ago the heart of Newry was ripped out to build the Abbey Way dual carriageway to get traffic to Warrenpoint quicker. Are we forever condemned to make the same mistake again?
For people that say an opening bridge would be a waste of money, we would say that a non opening bridge is a much larger waste of money. After all at least €60m is being spent on the opening Narrow Water Bridge to allow ships into the canal as well as half a million pounds spent in recent years at Victoria Lock.
Just one prestigious maritime festival in Newry could bring in millions to the area and local maritime and inland waterways enthusiasts have the skills in spades to make such a thing happen.
The Cost
The 12m high fixed bridge over Newry Ship Canal will bring to an end nearly 300 years of maritime heritage and that's the ultimate and only cost Newry people should be concerned about (ships currently at the Quays would need a 35m clearance). Financially though the Narrow Water Bridge was expected to cost €60m* as of 2022. The Irish Government have pledged to build it in February 2024 as part of its Shared Island initiative. The Southern Relief Road with the proposed fixed bridge is estimated to cost £110m to £130m (April 2024 www.infrastructure-ni.gov.uk )
The SRR is being progressed principally to take heavy goods vehicular traffic from Warrenpoint Port across to the A1 and in 2021 £93.4m was allocated to it as part of the Belfast Region City Deal. The Narrow Water Bridge is being seen as a tourism bridge and will have segregated car, cycle and pedestrian lanes.
(It should be noted that had instead an SDLP minister been the one to confirm the plan to put a fixed bridge over the canal we would have been calling it the 'SDLP Bridge'.)
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Legislation made in May now allows for E-Scooters to be used legally south of the border. E-scooters are now allowed in cycle or bus lanes and on local, regional or national roads across the border.
With that in mind is it time Newry and NI followed suit? From 20 May 2024 E-Scooters will be regarded in a similar way to bicycles and can travel on roads south of the border.
Despite it being illegal here currently many people still use the scooters on footpaths and roads. In fact everyone from workers to schoolchildren are seen using them daily. E-Scooters are incredibly convenient for travelling short to medium distances and many shops locally now sell them with prices from £250 upwards. Another benefit is that when you reach your journeys end you can just fold it up and take it into the office with you - No need to worry about expensive car parking!
Many people seem to have a great hatred of them in a similar way to the reaction of some motorists to cyclists. It would seem though that this is more because of the way some people operate them rather than the mode of transport itself. Regardless of this if just 100 people used them for their short journeys into Newry City Centre instead of a car it would have the potential to help ease our much talked about traffic congestion.
In Northern Ireland, e-scooters are not defined in law and as such they must be regarded as falling under the definition of a motor vehicle. Consequently the use of e-scooters on public roads and public spaces is illegal since they do not meet the prescribed construction and use, licensing, registration, insurance and other requirements that apply in legislation here to motor vehicles.
Results from a pilot project carried out in GB may wall influence the Department for the Environment Minister here with DfI quoted as saying "Once the analysis of the GB pilots is available, the Minister for Infrastructure will carefully consider the outcomes to help inform a decision about the potential use of e-scooters and their legal position here. It will be important for the Minister to consider the potential
environmental and health benefits that these types of vehicles can deliver while also being very mindful of the safety implications their use may have for both the rider and the wider public."
Legislation in Ireland from 20 May states that riders must:
Be 16 years or older, Obey a speed limit of 20km/h. Drive on the left. Have lights, a bell or audible warning device, reflectors and brakes on their e-scooter and it must be kept in a roadworthy condition at all times.
They must also obey signals given by a Garda or school warden and follow the same rules of the road that apply to cyclists, including traffic lights, road signs, and all types of pedestrian crossings.
E-scooter users must NOT:
Use footpaths, pedestrianised areas or motorways. Hold or use a mobile phone. Have a seat on their e-scooter. Carry passengers or goods.
Interesting times ahead but I don't think I'll be getting rid of the bike just yet. Change does move rather slowly here ...
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