Five of the top business lobby groups in Galway have come out in support of the city’s public transport feasibility study and Gluas, the proposed light rail system.
Galway Chamber; American Chamber of Commerce Ireland - West Region; IBEC, West Region; the Information Technology Association of Galway (ITAG ); and the Irish Hotels Federation, Galway Branch have stated this week that they are in favour of the revolutionary proposals.
The Galway City Business Association welcomed the GLUAS at its conception several months ago.
The named organizations, representing all of the major companies and employers in the multi-national industry, international services sectors, tourism, ICT, retail, services, financial services, SME and hospitality sectors in the greater Galway area, welcome both the announcement by Galway City Council that the process is under way to employ consultants for the ‘Public Transport Feasibility Study’ and that the city council has also agreed to support GLUAS (Galway Light Rail ) in principle.
The group said that it would also commend the work that has been done by the GLUAS group and believe that this work will be an important input into the upcoming feasibility study.
While welcoming the above, this business lobby group wishes to reiterate the call for the urgent construction and completion of the N6 Galway City Outer Bypass (GCOB ) incorporating a new bridge over the Corrib as part of any overall and integrated traffic and transportation plan for Galway.
”It is our belief that the Galway City Outer Bypass is fundamental to removing transit traffic from Galway City and that there is a need for complementary traffic calming measures such as park and ride, light rail, quality bus corridors, cycle lanes, commuter rail etc will only work in conjunction with the transit traffic being taken out of the city.”
“Both the N18 and the N6 will complete relatively soon and will disgorge traffic into the city, so the GCOB is fundamental to taking this traffic out of the city.
It added that the the future of both tourism and general industry in the Connemara region is dependent on the GCOB
”Traffic continues to top all surveys regarding issues affecting business in Galway. We are committed to an integrated traffic plan for Galway and the GCOB must be part of any such plan.
”We look forward to the delivery of a road and rail network that will enhance our work in making this region the best place to work, invest, visit and live,” the statement concluded.
