Social Democrats Candidate for Galway City West John Crowley, has said that Galway needs to rethink the way it approaches its development of traffic and transport infrastructure.
He said that Galway Cycle Bus is a group of inspiring and forward thinking parents, teachers and volunteers who have organised to accompany young students on their daily cycling commute to school.
“I support this wonderful initiative and it has been incredible to be able to join them and to see the support received on their journey. On a regular morning when there can be 15-20 students cycling, it is gratifying to imagine the 10-20 cars that are tucked away in their driveways instead of using the road,” said Mr Crowley.
He said that changing the children’s view of what a daily commute can look like will only serve to benefit future generations.
“When cars are taken off the streets, a city will see improved air quality, reduced noise and a reduced number of accidents. Emissions per passenger drop and each traffic accident that is avoided improves the quality-of-life of a city’s population, and has socio-economic benefits.
“Firstly, there should be a national budget for cycling. I support the campaigns calling for at least 20 per cent of transport budgets to go to cycling and pedestrians. This would help build more cycle tracks that are separated from other traffic. We could hire more cycling officers to promote cycling in schools and teach children the rules of the road. And we could also create new cycling greenways across the county.
“As a councillor for Galway, I will ensure that Galway Council adopts a cycling plan for the city, and that cycling is a core part of all housing, transport, and building plans. It has worked in other countries, there is no reason it can’t work here,” he concluded.
John Crowley is the Social Democrats Candidate for Galway City West and can be contacted at 085-2345069 or [email protected]
