Frank Fahey and Niall Ó Brolcháin have been lobbying the Transport Minister Noel Dempsey to support public transport projects in Galway under the Smart Travel Initiative.
The Fianna Fáil TD and the Green senator met with the Minister and senior Department of Transport officials this week.
At the meeting both men argued for the extension of the Western Rail Corridor to Tuam to be progressed soon. They also lobbied for funding under the Smart Travel Fund to develop quality bus corridors and park and ride facilities in the city.
“We have seen how successful QBCs can be with the Dublin Road corridor, and I want to see more developed to encourage people to make the transition from their cars to the bus,” said Dep Fahey.
He added that park and ride facilities are needed in Castlegar, the Headford Road, and on the Distributor Road, Knocknacarra. Such facilities should also include ‘depots’ for city centre shopping outlets to deliver goods for commuting shoppers. He pointed out that such facilities have been introduced successfully in Cambridge.
Both men also called on Minister Dempsey to support The Workplace Travel Plans and the Green School Transport Initiative which would encourage people to walk, cycle, or take public transport to work instead of relying on private cars.
The two also called for more cycle paths in the city, and Dep Fahey said he “fully supported” Sen O’Brolcháin’s ambition to develop a Greenway cycle path from Renmore to Silverstrand.
