The long running, highly controversial, and often bizarre saga of the Galway City Ring Road is finally set to both come to an end, and begin to become a reality, following An Bord Pleanála’s decision, on Tuesday, to grant planning permission.
True to the nature of the ring road, the decision has produced a sharply divided reaction. Fine Gael senator Seán Kyne, a long time supporter of the project, called the decision “a momentous day for Galway”, and said the road will “free up space in the city” for greater levels of public transport measures.
However, People Before Profit Galway representative, Adrian Curran, called it “an appalling decision” that was “at odds with the reality of the climate and biodiversity crisis”.
Construction and route
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The GCRR will run from the existing R336 Coast Road, west of Bearna and tie-in with the existing N6 at Coolagh Junction. From Barna to the Ballymoneen Road Junction, it will be a single carriageway road, and will then continue as a dual carriageway to the Coolagh Junction. The total area within the proposed development boundary is 280 hectares.
The works are estimated to cost €600 million - although Independent Galway West TD, Noel Grealish has warned these costs could escalate, while PBP Galway has said the final bill could result in €1 billion.
However, the project can now advance to the next stages, which include land and property purchase, detailed design, enabling works, the procurement of a contractor, and the main construction phase.
The Galway County Council, Galway City Council, and Transport Infrastructure Ireland have welcomed An Bord Pleanála’s decision to approve, but acknowledged that possible legal challenges could yet arise, and that this could have an impact on the construction timelines.
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The ring road could yet fall foul of environmental legislation. Green Party Galway City West councillor, Niall Murphy [pictured above], said, “it remains to be seen if the ring road will pass the climate impact assessments called for in the National Development Plan”.
Minister of State, Hildegarde Naughton pointed out that, there is now an eight week “stand still period” to allow for appeals to be made. The project will also be assessed under the Government’s Public Spending Code, and a Government decision will then be required in advance of the project progressing, subject to any appeals to the courts.
According to the local authorities, the final detailed design and tendering will take 18 - 24 months. Some of this work can be progressed immediately and can run in parallel with any legal challenge. Once final approval for the scheme is received and a contractor is appointed, the main construction contract is expected to take 36 months.
Homes demolished
The construction of the ring road will result in the demolition of 54 properties, a situation which the local authorities admitted “was not possible” to avoid.
The city and county councils said they were “conscious of the significant impact” the road will have on many property owners, and “those residential properties affected by it”. However, both bodies said they would “continue to engage as constructively as possible with each and every land and property owner along the route”.
Divided reactions - pro
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The Galway local authorities argue the ring road will see a reduction of 7,300 car trips in the city centre per day; a 38 per cent decrease in heavy goods vehicles in the city centre during peak times; and a 43 per cent less delay across the city network thereby improving access to key services.
In a statement the two bodies said: “The Ring Road will solve the traffic problems in Parkmore and Ballybrit and open up greater employment opportunities for Connemara, the rest of County Galway and the wider region. It is welcome news for those who want to live in an improved urban environment where walking is a more attractive option and cycling much safer.”
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The Galway Chamber said the development will enhance the liveability of the city. “The announcement is a significant step forward in the development of an efficient and sustainable transport network in Galway,” said Kenny Deery, CEO of Galway Chamber [pictured above]. “The N6 Galway City Ring Road project, interlinking with the Galway Transport Strategy, will be a vital enabler, not just for sustainable mobility, but for sustaining and growing the local and regional economy.”
IBEC, the employer’s group, has called the ring road a “project of national significance” that is “long overdue”. It said the road would provide more space for walking, cycling, and public transport, and “support planned population growth” in a “compact and sustainable” manner..
“This will lead to improved quality of life for residents and workers and make the city more liveable and attractive,” a statement from IBEC said. “Addressing bottlenecks and traffic congestion in the city centre will also reduce vehicle emissions and support ambitious climate action and sustainable development commitments.”
Divided reactions - anti
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The Green’s Cllr Niall Murphy, said the ring road openly contradicts the Galway City Council’s own policy goals. He said the ring road will encourage “more housing far west of the city” and “all these homes will be car dependent”.
“Some of their journeys will use the new road but they will also drive to the city and to schools and generally increase traffic on all routes,” he said. “This type of development runs contrary to the Galway City Development Plan the council is working on to deliver a ‘15 minute city’. A €600 million euro ring road files in the face of those goals."
PBP Galway’s Adrian Curran [pictured below] said the road will result in greater levels of carbon emissions, the loss of 54 homes, “the severance of communities, including in Gaeltacht areas, and the irreversible destruction of the habitats”.
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He said the “supposed merits” of this project were highly dubious. “Studies from around the world show that building new roads leads to more cars, more traffic and more emissions,” he said.
He said the €1 billion which the road could end up costing, should instead have been invested in free, green and frequent public transport.
“For €1 billion we could have a free and expanded public transport system across the state that would reduce emissions and have a far better impact on traffic than building new roads,” he said.
Consultancy fees
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Meanwhile, it emerged at a recent committee meeting of the Galway County Council that some €15.6 million had been spent by Transport Infrastructure Ireland on consultancy fees as part of the application for the ring road.
Independent Galway County councillor, James Charity [pictured above], has called for the Public Accounts Committee to look at the role of TII in this situation.
"Seeing this sort of spend from any objective viewpoint raises serious concerns about the manner in which TII agreed the initial contract under which the principal contractor was initially appointed and why it wasn't negotiated on a much tighter basis,” he said. “The sum spent here certainly seems astronomical and is nearly 400 per cent above what was initially projected.”
