Planning for Galway city’s future transport needs must move away from the “negative pro and anti bypass debate” and towards a more productive, solutions based, approach.
This is the view of Green Cllr Niall Ó Brolcháin who is calling for the introduction of an intelligent urban traffic control system for the city.
The UTC involves monitoring of traffic flows by a central office with a bank of monitors; remote changing of traffic lights to allow for smoother flows of all modes of transport; and providing information for future works to reduce traffic bottlenecks.
“Galway is the only major city in Ireland without a UTC system,” he says. “These systems have a proven track record for shortening journey times. In Southampton, peak time journeys were reduced by 18 per cent in the morning and 26 per cent in the evening.”
There is provision for a UTC system in the Galway City Development plan and Cllr Ó Brolcháin believes that with the recent establishment of the Galway transport office it is important to “get moving on positive measures such as this”.
He said other transport issues that need to be tackled include “the improvement of badly designed junctions” such as the Headford Road roundabout; introduction of permanent park and ride facilities; improvements to the school bus system; and better cycle networks.
Cllr Ó Brolcháin is also calling for the implementation of the Booz Allen Hamilton bus strategy; provision of better commuter rail and inter-city rail services along the Western Rail Corridor; and planning for the introduction of a light rail system in Galway city.
“It is my intention to concentrate on positive transport measures and not to get sucked back into a 10-year-old debate on the Galway City Outer Bypass,” he said. “The reality is that money will not be forthcoming for it until at least 2014 with possible completion by 2017, assuming planning and legal issues can be sorted out.
“I fully accept that most people in Galway would like to see a bypass built around the city, however my priority is to focus on more immediate and less costly transport solutions.”
