The lack of availability and reliability of public transport in County Galway was one of the major cause for concern raised by councillors at the first plenary meeting of Galway County Council on Monday, July 22, resulting in renewed calls for a meeting between the council and the National Transport Authority (NTA ).
After years of ‘letter writing’ to both the NTA and the Minister for Transport, the state of Co Galway’s public transport services has reached breaking point with councillors from Galway County Council describing the situation as ‘going backwards’. Sharing stories of under serviced areas, routes which are weighed purely on the profit they generate and vital bus services being pulled with no public consultation, councillors collectively shared stories of ‘radio silence’ from the NTA.
A number of whom detailed their experiences writing to the NTA ‘many many times’ regarding ‘very serious issues’, but receiving no reply from the authority.
“Better public transport is badly needed,” said Loughrea councillor, Geraldine Donohue. “The public service objective is not just to turn a profit, it is to serve the community and we can’t just keep talking about these issues with no solution.”
Working against climate change plans
“We are at a time where we are trying to promote greener options, but when it comes to public transport we hear ‘routes aren’t profitable, blah, blah, blah’,” said Cllr Michael Connolly.
“We need to meet with the NTA and discuss services in our areas. Unless we make public transport attractive, adding bus shelters and putting money into walking and cycling and putting comfortable facilities out there for people, they won’t use them.
“It seems like the NTA has an agenda to spend money in the greater Dublin area but to hell with the rest of the country.”
The invite has been issued, but will the NTA show?
Having previously been invited to attend municipal district meetings across the county, the NTA have reportedly declined, instead suggesting to the council that a collective meeting between the authority, the council management team and all 39 councillors be a more feasible option.
“The reluctance of the NTA to come to a municipal district meeting should raise alarm bells. There has been radio silence regarding the Park & Ride plans from last year and I’m concerned that if they come down to meet 39 councillors, that we will pigeon hole them for an hour before they go off scott free and we don’t see them again for two years,” said Cllr James Charity.
“They are the most difficult organisation in the country to contact, once they are gone, they are gone and communication is over.”
The frustration with the NTA is one that unites Galway’s councils. In April this year following the NTA’s last minute cancellation shortly before its meeting with Galway City Council, resulted in Cllr Declan McDonnell reportedly announcing, “If we have to lie down on the road, we’ll lie down on the road.”
