More Roads vs. Public Transport for Galway

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Written by Administrator

Wednesday, 10 January 2007

Dear Editor,

Transport has become a mainstream issue nationally and has a fundamental impact on people's lives in both positive and negatives ways. An Taisce seeks answers to transport problems and promotes solutions that respect the needs of people and the environment. Through its national campaigns, An Taisce aims to influence those who make transport decisions, including government at all levels.

In Galway, traffic congestion and transport matters have become a common source of debate. Indeed, your own paper has led the way in publishing numerous articles and letters alluding to the transport problems being faced daily.

However, some recent suggestions on how to solve Galway's difficulties with traffic congestion need to be looked at more closely during 2007.

At a time when public consideration is being given to the recently published EIS into the proposed Galway City Outer By-pass, much thought would need to be given to whether local government has the mechanisms in place to look at the whole picture of infrastructural development in a balanced and integrated way, while respecting environment and quality of life issues.

Let me explain what we mean by this. When Galway Corporation (now City Council) and Galway County Council first published their joint 'Transportation & Planning Study' in 1999 (Colin Buchanan), it was recommended that they would "locate and structure new development in a way which supports the greater use of public transport" and, to help achieve this, it recommended the establishment of a joint Planning and Transport Committee. The recent rejection of Galway City Council's plans to establish a permanent Park n Ride facility in Oranmore by County Council planners would seem to indicate that this committee is not yet functioning.

Therefore, it follows that no mechanism is yet in place to consider the benefit of the various schemes presently being put forward to deal with Galway's increasing traffic gridlock. This despite the recent allocation of ?0.5 million in funds in this years City Council budget, to establish a City Transportation Office. What is the point of having the same bunch of engineers responsible for the present state of our city roads put in charge of any new office, unless capacity is enlarged by bringing in some people with international experience, and have representation from service providers too (CIE, Bus Eireann, Rail Procurement Agency etc)?

What makes our local councillors, who favour a minimalist approach, believe their proposal would lead to any change of attitude from the present Minister for Transport?

The most recent effort to raise this issue was made by An Taisce, at a briefing given by consultants to members of the Transport & Infrastructure SPC on the proposed Galway Bus Strategy (Nov 7th). Where I suggested the need for a Joint Galway City/County Transport Authority to coordinate transport planning issues, the representative from the Dept of Transport who was in attendance interjected by saying that this would perhaps not meet with approval from the Dept of Finance in Dublin, as it would represent for them, "yet another layer of bureaucracy to be paid for". We have subsequently seen what Transport Minister Martin Cullen thinks of such proposals, in his similar dealings with the four Dublin local authorities.

Finally, it would also seem to be apparent that when the latest 'time wasting' gaggle of FF councillors go on a junket to Leeds, to "examine the operation of 'Park and Ride' and Light Rail systems there", they will find that planning authorities in Yorkshire are not alone building a bypass around Leeds, but are also looking at "investment in public transport priorities at radial junctions and the provision of park and ride at interchanges along the route, together with enhancements to the provision made for pedestrians and cyclists".

No sign of such forward thinking in Galway, but then the NRA here are only concerned to build roads. They do not do 'public transport' and are not a Transport Authority. It is also part of the planning process in the UK that an "economic benefit cost ratio (BCR)" is looked at as part of the public consultation process.

In Galway, an environmentally damaging by-pass road is to be built, at considerable public cost, without any consideration being given to possible linkages with public transport services (present or future). And there appears, at first inspection, to be no reference in the EIS to any such connection. So much for adherence to Government policy, which is "to reduce car dependence" in favour of public transport, or to seek "value for taxpayers money".

Yours faithfully,

Derrick Hambleton,
Chairman,
An Taisce - Galway Association, Kingston,
Galway

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