Cllr Donal Lyons says it ‘beggars belief’ that funding of one million euro is being allocated by the National Transport Authority for the temporary Salthill cycleway.
Controversy surrounds the project with Cllr Lyons adamant that minimum cycleway standards will be breached.
“The announcement that there is one million euro being allocated for the cycleway by the National Transport Authority beggars belief,” Cllr Lyons told the Galway Advertiser.
“If this is a temporary arrangement, only going to be there for six months - for me, you are looking at a permanent arrangement. It seems an awful lot of money when you consider the amounts being earmarked for other cycling infrastructure which are going to be permanent in the city.
'Goes through at any cost'
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“I firmly believe senior political figures now involved in this, they want to make sure that this goes through at any cost because the minimum cycleway standards are being breached at a number of pinchpoints along the route in order for the double cycling track and single cycling track to be accommodated in the proposal going forward.”
More than 1,000 submissions have been made during the public consultation process which concludes tomorrow with Cllr Lyons highlighting the fact that option three – to do nothing - on the portal is not being considered.
“I was surprised and shocked that the senior roads engineer indicated that when they would be deciding on the options that they will only take into consideration options one and two, that the third choice on the portal will not be taken into account by the executive,” Cllr Lyons adds.
“Why put it in? Is it because there has been so many submissions on the third choice that now they don't want the third choice to be taken into the equation.
'Alienate a lot of people'
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“I believe the cycling fraternity are now looking at option two - that is their preferred choice. That will alienate a lot of people, particularly those west of Pollnarooma. More importantly the blue light services like the Fire Brigade, who use the road at the Salthill Promenade to get to incidents in Knocknacarra or further out in Barna, Spiddal, or Inverin.
“They will now have to traverse up Threadneedle Road and join heavy traffic on the road to get out west. I am shocked, I just feel disappointed. With more than 1,000 submissions I would guess that a large proportion of those submissions are opting for the third choice which is to do nothing.”
'Detrimental effect'
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Cllr Lyons says the cycleway ‘will have a detrimental effect’ on a number of local businesses in the Knocknacarra area.
“I believe that both options are not suitable,” he adds. “Option two seems to be the preferred choice of cycling groups, that option will remove 214 car parking spaces from along the promenade. It will see the outward services of 401, 410, 424, and the 524 discommoded.
“Just the inconvenience, people going to the caravan parks for example in Salthill. They will now have to go down to what is known locally as Knocknacarra Cross to gain access to the caravan parks. It certainly will have a detrimental effect on businesses in Knocknacarra - Knocknacarra Florists, O'Farrell's - Ger O'Farrell's garage and Sean O'Farrell's shop.”
