Dangerous roads, inaccessible estates, and general under-investment have created major problems in the Headford Road area, which must be urgently addressed.
This is the view of the Social Democrats Galway City East councillor, Owen Hanley, who is calling on the Galway City Council to carry out a walkability and accessibility study for the area, looking in particular at the Bóthar an Choiste, Sandyvale Lawn, Tirellan, and Crestwood estates.
"The new Kirwan Junction has highlighted just how much public money is poured into cars driving through communities, with questionable results,” he said. “What the community on the Headford Road needs is resources to improve it as a place to live."
Pedestrian safety
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Cllr Hanley said a walkability and accessibility study would allow residents in the Headford Road area a chance to raise issues around transport, roadways, pedestrian safety, and cycling infrastructure with the city council.
'There is community interest in having cycling as a commuting option'
He said there are numerous issues to deal with, and called the Headford Road “a danger for pedestrians” as it has no signalised pedestrian crossings north of the junction.
“This forces residents to race against speeding cars to cross the road to their neighbour,” he said. “There are long winding estates disconnected from each other and suffering serious issues with rat-running, while Tirellan Primary School could benefit from school street infrastructure to address peak time congestion."
Cycling blackspot
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He also described the Headford Road as “a cycling blackspot” and “one of the most dangerous places to cycle in the city”. However, the recent East of the Corrib Cyclebus has shown “there is community interest in having cycling as a commuting option,” and he called on the council to explore this with residents of the area.
“On the ground feedback from local residents, on these infrastructural issues, can feed into a list of works for the coming year,” said Cllr Hanley. “If we plan communities so that every child can safely get to the Tirellan playground, the Ballinfoyle community garden, the community center, or their local pitch then we will make a safer, more accessible community for all."
