Ulster Canal Greenway Phase 2

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The Ulster Canal Greenway (UCG) Phase 2 project is a pioneering move led by Waterways Ireland, Monaghan County Council, Armagh City, Banbridge and Craigavon Borough Council and East Border Region Ltd to develop the first sustainable transport alternative for cross-border commuters between Smithborough, Co. Monaghan and Middletown, Co. Armagh. Creating 22km of new greenway by 2020 it will result in a 4.5% increase in the number of cross-border journeys via walking / cycling by 2023. Waterways Ireland will be the lead partner with Monaghan and Armagh local authorities and East Border Region as partners. Development of the UCG is directly aligned with local, corporate, regional and national strategies to create Sustainable Transport alternatives for commuters, Climate Change and Air Quality targets and also the Tourism and Recreation development plans in both NI and ROI. Monaghan to NI is the second highest of all S-N commuter flows, and Armagh to ROI is the third highest of all N-S flows. Less than 5% of commuters use a sustainable mode. 1900 workers and over 4000 students are based very close to the route in addition to the employment in Monaghan town centre. The project is designed to connect with the completed Phase I section, which utilises the disused Ulster Canal to provide a highly strategic route linking the east/ west sides of Monaghan. Location of Council-owned property (cost-saving and added value) and positive landowner responses were influential factors in selecting the preferred option. Project cost estimates are: total project spend at €6.01m with land costs at €0.594m (9.88% of total cost). Expenditure commences in 2016 and runs through to 2021. €4.85m (81%) of the expenditure relates to the capital build inclusive of land purchase. A 6 months delay in grant payment has been assumed with the exception of final year when wages for first half is assumed claimed in the year. Adjustments on cash-flow for retentions from 5% to 2.5% for construction have been included. The Partnership is confident that all risks have been minimised, and that those that remain can be dealt with within the lifetime of the INTERREG VA funding. A detailed risk register has been prepared. The project contributes positively to the promotion of Sustainable Development Goals as identified by Sustainable NI and the DoECLG. Issues such as sustainable economies, appropriate use of natural resources, social inclusion and compliance with EU Sustainable Development Strategy have been referenced and considered. The local authorities plan to utilise this project to raise awareness of issues regarding the importance of sustainable development and biodiversity. A Regional Greenway Advisory Group (RGAG) was established in early 2015 when WI, ABC, BRP, CCC, EBR, F&ODC, and MCC agreed to collaborate in preparing a Development Strategy for a long-distance greenway route through central Ulster. A Project Steering Group (PSG) comprising WI, MCC, ABC and EBR was subsequently formed to drive the implementation of the proposed project, the first step in the realisation of a regional route which will eventually link up to Larne. For this reason, Scottish Canals, the inland waterways authority in Scotland, will also participate in the PSG, and will be sharing their knowledge with the RGAG. A full scoping study with cost estimates has been completed by WI. Cost savings could be achieved by combining the preliminaries and construction contracts to cover the entirety of the route rather than proceeding in parallel on either side of the border. This will also eliminate risk associated with currency fluctuations. Monaghan CC own 68% of the lands. The Community Engagement Programme will benefit from two Council development officers at no cost. Significant collaboration between partners is key for project delivery. The partners have identified key learning e.g. Scottish Canal’s experience of towpath development. Key milestones along with governance and staffing arrangements have been developed. The capital build element will be driven by a Project Manager supported by a Finance Officer; specialist advice on EU compliance and verification will be provided by EBR. A community engagement programme will address behavioural change in key groups of commuters. The Communications and Marketing plan aims to promote the concept of smarter travel and the project’s public profile. The PSG will keep the SMART objectives, results and outputs associated with the project continuously under review. Permanent counters will record usage. The proposed UCG project is designed to be low maintenance with Councils assuming full running costs. A planned maintenance programme will be developed and Councils have committed to maintaining and insuring their respective sections of the greenway once complete.

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