Council asked to step away from Milford road to unlock funding - Donegal Daily

A popular walking track outside Milford could be taken off Donegal County Council’s roads list to unlock new funding for its development.Independent Councillor...

A popular walking track outside Milford could be taken off Donegal County Council's roads list to unlock new funding for its development.

Independent Councillor Declan Meehan has secured support for a motion to begin the process of removing a 2.5km stretch between Ballygay and Garrygort from the council's roads schedule.

The move is intended to help unlock funding for the Colmcille Trail around Lough Colmcille.

Cllr Meehan told this week's Letterkenny-Milford Municipal District meeting that its status as a public road is preventing the community from accessing grants through schemes such as CLÁR, the Outdoor Recreation Infrastructure Scheme and LEADER funding.

"There has been absolutely little to no benefit from having this stretch of road, if you want to call it that, on the council scheme," he told the September meeting of the Letterkenny-Milford Municipal District.

The track is already well-maintained by local volunteers, who have raised money to resurface it and regularly cut back hedges.

Cllr Meehan praised local people for their work, saying the trail is "an amazing amenity".

This section of the Colmcille Trail featured in a recent 30km community walk which raised almost €90,000 for Milford United .

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Cllr Meehan said that further improvements could make the trail even more accessible. He said upgrades could also open up opportunities to link the trail with other local amenities and coastal attractions as part of a wider Blueway project.

Cllr Meehan's motion raised questions about who would be responsible for the trail if it were no longer classified as a public road.

Roads Engineer Donal Murphy explained that Donegal County Council currently carries public liability responsibility for the route.

In response, Cllr Meehan called for the route to be registered with Sport Ireland as an official walking trail, allowing the community to seek cover through its public liability insurance arrangements.

In its written response, Donegal County Council confirmed that removing the road from its schedule would require a formal process under Section 12 of the Roads Act 1993.

The Roads Section said it would commence that process if the motion was passed.

Under the legislation, a proposed road abandonment must be publicly advertised, with an opportunity for members of the public to inspect the plans and submit objections or representations before a final decision is made.