Coach tours cannot cope with Galway City traffic

Coach tour operators claim Galway is losing out on visitors and tourism income because of poor facilities in the city, and traffic congestion.

Joe Donoghue of Donoghue Coaches in Claregalway, and chairman of the Coach Tourism and Transport Council (CTTC), said his organisation has been inundated with complaints from members around the country.

Among the gripes are a shortage of parking facilities, set-down and pick-up areas, as well as a lack of toilet facilities in the city, and loss of time due to the unpredictability of traffic delays.

The situation is so bad, according to Mr Donoghue, tour operators and coach companies are avoiding Galway.

“The vast majority of tour itineraries include Galway City for a one-two night stay, or a lunch stop and free time. Due to the lack of set-down and pick-up areas, and the traffic congestion going in and out of Galway at peak times and due to the time constraints on the tour itineraries, tour guides and drivers are avoiding Galway,” he said.

His concerns are shared by city centre trading groups including in the Latin Quarter, Westend Traders, Woodquay, Galway City Business Association and in the so-called East Village of Eyre Square.

Labour Party City Councillor Niall McNelis said Galway is losing out on up to 50 coaches per day during the peak season, which he estimates equates to a loss of at least €600,000 to businesses during one month of Summer.

“A quick calculation on the loss of revenue to Galway in June is €600,000 if you say 50 coaches carrying 40 tourists, each spending €10 over the 30 days. This is a conservative estimate. We need to make Galway a friendly place for coaches and tour operators to visit.

Galway City needs to use facilities either at Ceannt Station or Galway Harbour to attract more tour buses. Sligo and Ennis have developed tourist friendly parking for buses and if we do not address this issue soon we will lose out even further,” said Cllr McNelis.

He said it needs to be one of the City Council’s top priorities in 2018.

Mr Donoghue lists a number of areas of concern to his members, including that Galway Cathedral is too far away from the ‘action’ for a set-down area; buses dropping off at Eyre Square have been photographed and issued tickets in the post; the new set-down facilities at Merchant’s Road are clogged up by illegal parking; a lack of toilet facilities.

He has called on the Council to address the problems by enforcing the parking rules at Merchant’s Road and making it for coach parking only; use the pedestrianised area in front of the Skeff in Eyre Square as a set-down and pick-up area for coaches; use a vacant site at the Docks for coach parking.

He also suggested changes to the city’s traffic system to improve flows for buses and coaches.

Mr Donoghue said CTTC has linked up with Sligo Chamber of Commerce and Sligo’s local authority to offer coach-friendly initiatives that keep the tour buses coming back.

“Galway should not be left behind and lose all this potential business with a minimum of 50 to 60 coaches passing through Galway daily, especially now as we head towards Galway 2020. As a Galway businessman myself, and chairman of CTTC I would love to see Galway back on the map as a city open for coach tourism business,” he added.