Welcome! to the Greenway to Stay Campaign website. The Group was formed 3.5 years ago to campaign against government plans to use the Comber Greenway as a route for Rapid Transit buses. This plan would destroy this well used tree lined, traffic free, wildlife haven.
Public Consultation
DRD has just completed an extensive public consultation on their plans for Rapid Transit. The good news is the Greenway is no longer the recommended route It is described in the consultation documents as “feasible but not preferred” The Greenway to Stay campaign and many supporters responded to the consultation registering our continuing objection to the replacement of the Greenway with a road – even if it is exclusively for buses. Based on the comments of officials and the Minister it now seems unlikely that the Greenway will re emerge as the “preferred route” so its future is looking good.
However until the outcome of the Public Consultation is published and the final decision is made we will continue to keep a “watching brief”
A big thank you to all our supporters who responded to the consultation and who joined our petition. We submitted a copy of the petition with the Group response containing 1696 signatures collected both on paper and online which is pretty impressive. We may not have another opportunity to submit the petition but we are leaving it open and if you haven’t “signed” it please do by clicking here.
Greenway Maintenance
Although it is not in our remit we do receive a lot of feedback on issues relating to the management of the Greenway. It is the responsibility of the various councils to maintain it. Budgetary constraints and the fact that the Greenway straddles 3 council areas have contributed to sub standard maintenance at times. Feel free to continue making us aware of issues by e-mailing combergreenway@yahoo.co.uk but also please lobby local councillors – so that they will give it the priority it deserves.
Sustrans are also looking for additional volunteer rangers to keep an eye on the Greenway. If you would like to find out more about becoming a Volunteer Ranger or how your community can get involved in using the Greenway please contact Patricia Wallace, Volunteer and Community Liaison Officer, on 028 9043 4569 or patricia.wallace@sustrans.org.uk
The
Greenway Campaign is supported by people of All Ages: Caroline Bloomfield (former Chair of the campaign) with Jim Allan
(top right) who is in his eighties and still cycles on the Greenway every day. Jim
was a founder member of the Greenway to Stay campaign.
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