The MÓR Action group which has been campaigning for improved infrastructure to take into consideration the growth of the Oranmore area have called for that growth to be recognised in both transport and development plans.
Both the national and local government bodies have recognised that Oranmore is one of the fastest growing residential areas in the country. MÓR Action believes that this growth should be reflected in any local transport and development plans and that such plans should cater for the needs of both the existing and the potential population. We are living in a global climate and biodiversity crisis.
The Coast Road and parts of the Maree Road flood regularly and many parts of Maree are cut off by flooding as well as being susceptible to coastal erosion. Flooding will happen more frequently and the rate of coastal erosion will speed up in the future. We cannot stop this but we can reduce the scale and rate of change by reducing our community carbon footprint,” they said in a statement.
Everything MÓR Action campaigns for will contribute to this reduction. Encouraging more sustainable and active travel reduces the need to drive and reduces carbon emissions. More people walking and cycling means more people with increased opportunities to meet others, and to build relationships with others. This results in stronger communities, which are in turn more resilient to disasters.
In 2022, MÓR Action will be focusing on a number of key areas, informed by the public survey it undertook in summer, to which we received 517 responses:
— The delivery of a coastal cycleway between Oranmore and Galway City. This coastal cycleway is something that has been on Galway County Council’s Development Plans since 2009. Over 80% of our survey respondents want it delivered. The use of electric bikes and electric scooters means that travelling into Galway City or to the nearby industrial estates can be easily achieved in a short amount of time (travel time Oranmore to Eyre Square by bike is 30 minutes ). Reasonably enough, people want safe, segregated cycle lanes so that they are safer from speeding motorists and illegal parking. Safe walking and cycling infrastructure is also needed between the individual housing estates which have already been built on the Coast Road, and those which are yet to be built, as well as into Oranmore. It is not radical to say that children and adults should be able to safely walk and cycle to visit friends or to go to the shops, or to college or work, safely.
— We would also like to see a bus service, which serves school times, to enable parents of school-going children to send their children to school safely by bus and have them travel home by bus. This could substantially reduce the congestion on Main Street, improve air quality by reducing the volume of motor traffic through the village, build independence for children and teenagers, and give parents back time which would otherwise be spent driving to and from the schools at morning and evening times. We have made a recent submission to the Connecting Ireland transport survey, highlighting the local transport issues. For example, the existing 404 bus service takes the route of the N67 dual carriageway to Oranmore. This route does not serve any residents or estates as there are no houses/estates on the N67 and the buses cannot stop on the dual carriageway. A route via the R338 Coast Road would serve the many new estates on the R338 and those due to be built in future under the Galway Metropolitan Area Strategic Plan. This route could also include a link with Oranmore Train Station, which would allow more people to use public transport to connect with local and national train services.
— The creation of public realm space in Oranmore is another key issue. There is no public park or square for people to gather or relax. The nearest public park is Renville Park which is 4 km away from Oranmore. There are a limited number of public benches in Oranmore, for people to stop as they walk (particularly important for our older and less mobile residents ). The remaining green spaces in the village are all in private ownership. Public health means not just the absence of Covid-19, but the creation of an environment which supports the physical and mental health of those living in the area. Oranmore needs green space which is freely accessible by everyone, of every age, whether they travel by foot, by bike, or by car.
— Oranmore and Maree are surrounded by three Natura 2000 sites. This means we live within a network of connected habitats of European importance. There are significant populations of bats, otters, trout and more which use these networks of hedgerows, rivers and wetlands in their search for food. Protecting and enhancing this network is important in adapting to climate change. Nature based approaches to flood and coastal erosion problems will naturally adapt to changing sea levels, protect and enhance biodiversity, reduce storm water flood risk and the risk of sewer overflows into Galway Bay. Planting native trees will help soak up excess water, help clean the air, and provide shelter from heat and rain, important for future climate extremes.
Our vision for Oranmore is of a community where the concerns of residents are weighted equally with those of business owners. We want children to be able to walk and cycle to school with their friends without the risk of injury from speeding vehicles, or distracted drivers. We want older people and those with mobility issues to be able to move safely and freely around Oranmore without finding their way blocked by illegal and selfish parking. We want everyone to have safe and easy access to our fantastic sports and community amenities. We need genuine alternatives to travelling by car. We want safe pedestrian crossings on all roads, and reduced speeds throughout the Oranmore area, with roads, cycle lanes, and footpaths co-existing as genuine shared space.
We know that people in Oranmore want a more liveable community, and we will work with any and all groups in Oranmore to make sure that this happens.
