Wicklow Sinn Fein TD John Brady has expressed his disappointment at the continued closure of the Bray to Greystones cliff walk, which is one of the biggest tourist attractions in the county. The walk which is 7km in length has been officially closed since 2021, as a result of the danger of landslides at the Greystones end, and rockfalls on the Bray side. He is calling on Minister Catherine Martin to use the authority of her office to ensure that measures are implemented to ensure that the cliff walk can be reopened pending completion of the longer term works on the walk.
Brady said:
“The Bray to Greystones cliff walk is a 7km stunning route, which provides some of the most beautiful views in the country. Its continued closure is a major blow for tourism in both Greystones and Bray.
And while I acknowledge that there are plans in place to carry out works that would ensure the long term viability of the cliff walk, including plans to purchase additional lands on the Greystones end which would allow walkers to avoid the most dangerous parts, the question must be asked if there is potential for interim works to be carried out that would allow the walk to reopen while longer term solutions are being put in place.
The County Council have carried out a tendering process on the Bray side to address the issue of rock falls. The successful contractor will be appointed in the coming weeks with work commencing soon after.
On the Greystones side a compulsory purchase order (CPO) of land has been introduced, which will allow the walkway to be moved from the area where the landslide took place.
The importance of the cliff walk to the north Wicklow area demands that there be a multi-agency response committed to finding an interim solution to allow the walk to be fully reopened pending completion of works that will provide a permanent solution.
I have written to the Minister for Tourism Catherine Martin stressing the importance of the cliff walk to the Greystones and Bray areas, and the need for the necessary work to be carried out as soon as possible, to allow the cliff walk to be reopened as soon as it is possible to do so. The walkway is a valued tourist attraction, and as a route through sites of natural beauty enjoyed by local people.