If the city’s roundabouts are to go, then zebra crossings would be a more effective and less costly way to protect pedestrians and get traffic moving, not signalised junctions.
This is the view of North West MEP Jim Higgins who said he is “very sceptical” about the Galway City Council’s plans to remove seven major roundabouts in the city.
Last week, City Hall announced its proposals to remove up to seven roundabouts along the N6 Bothar na dTreabh route, and replace them with signalised junctions. The council says this will not only improve facilities, but make the roads safer for pedestrians, and encourage cycling.
However MEP Higgins, the Irish member of the European Parliament’s Transport Committee, said the estimated €6 million price tag for the works is too expensive and could be put to more effective use for cyclists and pedestrians.
“With the money the council is proposing to spend, we could provide 10 times the amount of measures for cyclists and pedestrians in the city,” he said.
MEP Higgins favours zebra crossings at roundabouts as a cheaper solution.
“A signal controlled pelican crossing costs €150,000 and a zebra crossing around €5,000,” he said. “Both achieve the same thing. There are lower maintenance costs of zebra crossings, and lower waiting times for pedestrians. In the same way, motorists can continue on, once the person has cleared the crossing, instead of waiting arbitrarily.”
MEP Higgins also pointed out that in Limerick city zebra crossings are used effectively and they are a part of traffic management in many cities on the continent.
“This plan contains not a single zebra crossing,” he said. “Why are they not suitable for Galway?”
