Mayo schools will join thousands of students across Ireland this week who are putting plans in motion to take part in An Taisce Green-Schools’ National Walk to School Week 2012, which takes place from May 21st to 25th. Lots of schools in Mayo have decided to celebrate the week in their own unique way by creating special walking buses, participating in walking tours, walking fitness workshops, Park’N’Stride events and nature walks - with the ultimate aim of increasing the number of students who make the school journey on foot during the week.

Westport Labour councillor, Keith Martin, says that Irish Rail should reverse its decision to increase fares on the Westport to Dublin route.  Cllr Martin says the fares increases are disincentive to rail travel and will impact on visitor numbers to the town this year.

Westport has officially become one of Ireland’s Smarter Travel Demonstration Areas 2012-2016, and will receive €5million Government investment to develop its sustainable travel plan, according to Minister Michael Ring TD. Limerick City and Dungarvan are the other two locations.

The third “Castlebar Walks Wednesdays” was held on Wednesday, 16th of November, when all schools in Castlebar collaborated for the first time to participate in this event which was launched in September.

Ballina is the latest town in Mayo to get an ESB electric car charge point which like the e-car charger in Castlebar is still undergoing engineering tests before it becomess operational. The first operational public e-car charge point in Mayo is at Castlebar Street in Westport. The Ballina e-car charger is located in Dunnes Stores car park on Humbert Street and the Castlbar charge point can be found at the busy Market Street carpark in Mayo's county town.

The third “Castlebar Walks Wednesdays” will take place on Wednesday, 16th of November. All schools in Castlebar collaborated for the first time to participate in this event which was launched in September.

Iarnród Éireann has confirmed that it plans to continue the expansion of Wi-Fi to have a Wi-Fi “connected railway” by mid-2012, including the Westport to Dublin train service.

Minister of State for Tourism and Sport Michael Ring has announced a grant of €366,700 to Ballina Swimming Pool to improve access for people with disabilities, along with additional funding under the Green Swimming Pool initiative to make the pools across Ireland more energy efficient and less reliant on State support.  

Ballyhaunis Railway Station is celebrating the 150th anniversary of its opening on October 1, at 3pm, when local staff will be joined by dignataries from Irish Rail, Ballyhaunis Chamber of Commerce,  public representatives, and the community, to mark this historic occasion. The ceremony will take place exactly 150 years to the day of the train station's opening on October 1st, 1861.

Ireland West Airport Knock is flying high with the news that Lufthansa - the world's fourth biggest airline and Europe's largest - is to start new services between Ireland West Airport Knock and Germany from Mayo 2012. It is a major boost for the West of Ireland and is certain to give tourism throughout the West its biggest boost in decades.