Bus lane could cut 20 minutes off Tuam to Galway journey

A new bus lane along the N17 on the immediate approach to Galway city is currently in the pipeline – with a strong possibility that it will go to planning by the middle of this year.

Ironically, such a proposal was mooted as far back as 15 years ago – but given the current traffic chaos, it has now become a critical issue once again.

If planning was granted, it would cut the bus journey time from Tuam to Galway by up to 20 minutes – a very welcome development as far as the bus companies are concerned.

It is envisaged that a bus lane be provided between the Parkmore turn-off and the old Leader’s shop which is located just before the lights. This is a section of the N17 where traffic comes to a standstill each morning.

Director of Services for Roads Michael Timmins told The Connacht Tribune that while Galway City Council is the lead authority for this project, drawings for such a proposal are currently being prepared.

He added that it is expected to proceed to planning in the middle of the year but there may be a consultation process involving all interested parties in advance of this happening.

The ongoing traffic chaos in and around Galway city has renewed appeals for a new bus lane to be provided.

As it stands that there designated bus lanes on either side of the gridlocked Claregalway but there are demands that an additional bus lane is provided from Parkmore in to town.

Pat Burke of Burke’s Bus in Tuam, which accommodates around 2,000 passenger journeys each day, said that if it was felt that a bus lane was needed on this stretch of the N17 back in 2003, it is even more necessary now.

“It is extremely frustrating for our passengers that they are arriving to work and college late each morning while this catastrophe continues. The lane changes at the Briarhill junction started the whole chaos off and then it was compounded by the Bus Eireann strike,” Mr Burke said.

The provision of the designated bus lanes on either side of Claregalway in recent years has reduced travel times for the operators coming into the city from the north of the county but now it seems that an additional bus lane from the Parkmore junction is firmly back on the agenda.

“We operate a significant number of bus services to and from Galway city and a large proportion of these every morning use Parkmore and Briarhill to access town.

“Since the alterations were made to the traffic lanes and lights sequence at the Briarhill junction we are experiencing severe delays of approximately 30 minutes.

“It has become a disaster for public transport users as workers and students are not getting to their place of work or college on time.

“A bus lane on the N17 between Parkmore and Leaders, even from Roadstone to Leaders, first proposed in 2003, must now be a priority as it would greatly improve access for public transport and complement the bus lane at Claregalway,” Pat Burke added.