Cllr Michael Crowe has branded this year’s Christmas park and ride operation as “a huge success”, saying the scheme saw a significant increase in the number of cars and passengers compared to 2007. Cllr Crowe, who chairs the Galway City Council’s transport committee, has called for the implementation of a similar park and ride scheme during the Volvo Ocean Race stopover later this year.
“The increase on cars was up 66 per cent on last year to a total in excess of 4,500 vehicles, while the increase in the number of passengers was up 79 per cent on last year to circa 9,200 people,” Cllr Crowe revealed. “These figures are simply outstanding. This year it was received very well by the general public and shows, that when it’s marketed properly and pitched at the right price that people will use the service.
“Every day there was an increase in the number of cars using it. The daily percentage increase compared with last year varied from four per cent right up to an enormous 190 per cent.”
Cllr Crowe said he believed the use of the private bus terminal at the Fairgreen as a passenger pick up and drop off point helped to boost the numbers of people using the service this year.
“This development is becoming of significant importance for the continued development of public transport in our city,” he added. “It has 13 individual bus bays that service the private bus market. This was an attraction because in other years passengers had to stand at the side of the road to be collected.
“I am delighted that this has been such a success and I have held a recent meeting with City Hall officials to examine the possibility of putting in a similar service for the Volvo Ocean Race in May. I have requested that they put together a proposal for park and ride for this period and bring this proposal before my transport committee.
“Allied to all this is the on-going work behind the scenes in developing a permanent park and ride facility in Galway and I will do all I can to progress this.”
