Council postpones meeting on plan to ban cars in city centre

Galway City Tribune – The grand unveiling of a new proposal for a radical shake-up of the city’s transport network has been deferred to allow negotiations with landowners and other interested parties to be finalised.

City councillors were due to attend a workshop today (Friday) at City Hall on the Galway City Centre Transport Management Plan, which aims to, “remove non-essential motorised traffic from the core city centre area”.

However, Galway City Council postponed the planned briefing until it thrashes out details with third party stakeholders and landowners and finalises the plan.

The new strategy will involve compulsory purchase of lands, possibly including parts of gardens in Woodquay and other areas, to facilitate road widening for bus priority and other measures.

The plan also involves agreements between stakeholders such as University Hospital Galway, the grounds of which will form a central route for a ‘bus only’ corridor from Eglington Street and College Road. It will also impact on traffic flows at Galway Cathedral and NUIG.

“There are a good number of properties affected by it. It will involve land acquisition and we haven’t contacted all of the landowners, or finalised all of the drawings yet,” said senior engineer, Uinsinn Finn.

The Transport Section of the Council said it will present a “comprehensive update” on the project at next Monday’s ordinary Council meeting, and rearrange a workshop for February when affected landowners have been informed.

“As the project impacts on third party lands, we have not at this point been able to finalise details on a small number of key areas and as such we will defer the planned workshop on January 5 until these details are agreed between the stakeholders,” said Mr Finn.
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