The Newtownabbey Way, a scheme to provide walking and cycling routes along the Three Mile Water Glen from Corr’s Corner to the shores of Belfast Lough at Jordanstown, took a large step closer to becoming reality this week as sustainable transport charity Sustrans and Newtownabbey Borough Council signed a Memorandum of Understanding that secures and guides the future of the scheme for the next few years.
The total cost of the scheme is estimated at £1M, and this week’s agreement pledges £350,000 from Sustrans’ Connect2 lottery award towards the total.
Mayor of Newtownabbey, Alderman Victor Robinson said:
For a number of years the Council has supported the development of facilities for the well-being and enjoyment of Borough ratepayers and visitors alike. I am delighted that the partnership between Sustrans and ourselves will result in such a major project coming to fruition. I would like to thank Sustrans for inviting us to be a part of their Connect2 bid and the people of Newtownabbey for voting to secure the Lottery funding. I look forward to the completion of the project and being able to cycle down to the Loughshore from Mossley Mill.
Steven Patterson from Sustrans and Mayor of Newtownabbey Alderman Victor Robinson at Mossley Mill.
I would like to see Alderman Robinson cycle down to Loughshore from Mossley Mill myself. I’d also like to see him cycle the 300ft back up again, but that’s just me being evil and probably wouldn’t make for such good press release pictures.
The proposed route runs through a conservation park and between adjacent heavily residential areas, and so should readily attract local cyclists and walkers. It extends Sustrans’ existing National Route 9 which runs along the Belfast Lough foreshore towards the city centre, connecting potential cycle commuters directly to the city and nearby industrial estates along an almost entirely traffic free route. I, and I’m sure Sustrans, would hope this will encourage more folk to “bike it” to work!
It’s a shame that there is a on-road section that crosses the A2 Shore Road to Carrickfergus, which must be one of the busiest roads around Belfast come either rush hour. The route is not yet confirmed and it’s hard to tell from the extant map where exactly the on road and off road sections meet, but I’m roughly familiar with the area and in my opinion the likely crossing point would need to be significantly improved for cyclists if the scheme is to properly encourage safe cycle commuting from the area. I trust that the responsible parties will take this into consideration when making their final plans.
Newtownabbey Way, viaduct section
Although it would add a couple of extra miles to my homeward journey, I can envisage using this future route as a pleasant summer evening’s commute or weekend pootle. Sustrans and Newtownabbey Borough Council are to be applauded for their efforts.
I look forward to the completion of the Newtownabbey Way and meeting the raft of new cyclists that it will create!
Great job by Newtownabbey BC BUT will they maintain new cycleway? State of rest of cycle paths in the Borough (and rest of country) are atrocious.