Unless there are proper levels of investment in public transport, bus services in the city will continually fail to "keep up with the demand of peak times users".
This is the view of the Social Democrats Galway City East councillor Owen Hanley, who said public transport could be "transformed" in Galway city if "invested in properly on all levels".
Cllr Hanley pointed to the 409 route from Parkmore to Eyre Square as an example of the current conditions. "The 409 is one of the busiest bus lines in the country," he said, "but workers and students are left waiting as full buses go past them at Roscam and Renmore. This isn't acceptable."
However, Cllr Hanley pointed out that the 409 is not the only route where problems exist. "All across the city bus services do not accurately meet people's needs," he said. "Many people would swap over to public transport if they were guaranteed buses would be on time, they would get a seat, there was a bus shelter from rain, and there were more routes than all of them centralising on Eyre Square."
Cllr Hanley said that "proper investment in our transportation system if Galway" should form part of the Government's upcoming Budget.
