A new feasibility study carried out for the National Transport Authority shows that there is a very viable case for developing Gluas - light rail transit (LRT ) for Galway City.
The 46-page study, completed by consultants AtkinsRéalis, concludes that there is a strong axis of east-west travel demand which would support a light rail line along a corridor from Knocknacarra in the west of the city to Parkmore in the east.
One corridor would stretch just under 15 km (Knocknacarra to Parkmore ), passing through Eyre Square, allowing people to make connections with intercity rail services as well as commuter rail to Oranmore, and a wide range of bus services. It’s estimated that the LRT would reduce car trips in the city by at least 10%.
Modelling for the study indicates that there could be annual demand of about 7.5 million passengers a year along this corridor, which compares well with similar sized cities where conditions have already been favourable to LRT.
This breaks down to a daily demand of about 26,000 passengers a day, or 1,800 passengers an hour at peak times if trains ran every eight minutes. If trains ran every five minutes, numbers would jump even higher, as they would if future land development and compact growth took place along the corridor.
The authors of the study also indicated that LRT would be most effective if it was rolled out along with other sustainable transport plans for Galway, including the Cross City Link, BusConnects and CycleConnects. In this case, passenger numbers could jump to 44,000 a day.
Park & Ride would play a role in allowing car drivers from outside the urban area to switch to reliable public transport at each end of the route. The feasibility study considers Park & Ride hubs at Knocknacarra, which would intercept trips from the West, and Roscam, as a location that would best intercept trips from both the N67 (south-east ) and the N6/M6 (east ).
Gluas would transform Galway, linking the city from east to west with a sleek, frequent and reliable light rail system” said Green Party Senator Pauline O’Reilly. “This study shows clearly that not only is there a case for Gluas, there’s a really strong case for it. It throws cold water on all the naysayers who have said that Galway isn’t big enough or wouldn’t have the demand for light rail.”
“What’s really interesting about this feasibility study is that it also tells us that Gluas would work best and would benefit an even greater number of people if we also accelerated all the other sustainable transport plans we need to really get Galway moving.
“Only the Greens will ensure these projects will happen. In a century of Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael-led governments and Galway City Councils, public transport was always the poor relation. They just have no interest in it. But the most successful cities are built on the back of public transport. It’s what Galway needs if it is to thrive and prosper.”
Sinn Féin TD Mairead Farrell has welcomed the newly published feasibility study for light rail in Galway and said the GLUAS campaign has been pushing for this feasibility study for many many years.
“It is positive to see that the report agrees that a light rail tram could be considered as a viable transport option for Galway City.
“The current level of congestion in the city is unacceptable and we must be looking at all avenues to provide a functional, integrated transport system across the city. I would also echo the recommendation in the report that in the intermediate period, consideration should be given to progressive public transport upgrades, with active consideration of future-proofing of new bus infrastructure to enable future conversion to LRT operations.’
“We need solutions as soon as possible and the fastest solution that we can provide is upgrading the bus system that is already in place.
“There is not one silver-bullet that will solve our traffic woes, but a light rail along with park and ride and frequent and reliable bus and rail links would do wonders for our city,” she said.
