Almost 1,500 people have been using the Galway City Council’s park and ride service in the run up to Christmas with the local authority reporting a significant increase in passengers.
According to the Galway Transportation Unit, Saturday December 11 saw 1,440 passengers (2,880 round trip ) avail of park and ride, representing a 119 per cent increase for the same day last year. On Sunday December 12 passenger uptake of the service increased by 129 per cent relative to last year.
Other significant increases have been recorded for dates including December 8, where the service carried more than 800 passengers, which was more than double the figure for the same date last year.
The GTU also said that a high number of passengers per car were coming to the Ballybrit Racecourse.
“A common feature is the number of people carriers and mini vans parking at the Racecourse with seven, eight, and in some cases 14 people emerging from the vehicle to avail of the bus service to Eyre Square,” said a spokesperson.
“The Galway Transportation Unit welcomes this trend which illustrates a clear increase in car-pooling, one of its key objectives as it seeks to curb traffic congestion in the city. Customer satisfaction ratings are again very high with the bulk of customers surveyed rating the service as ‘excellent’.”
Independent Galway West TD Noel Grealish has welcomed the news of the increased numbers using park and ride.
“Despite adverse weather conditions and a difficult economic situation prevailing at the moment, these latest figures are a testament to the success of the park and ride service,” he said.
Dep Grealish said many people are coming to see that park and ride is a “convenient, cost effective, and time saving way to do their shopping” and he is encouraging “more people to try it”.
The Carnmore TD is also calling for the park and ride service to be expanded and extended throughout the full year as this would “help reduce traffic congestion in the city centre”.
