GLUAS cost may signal end of plans

Date Published: 12-May-2009

PLANS for the development of a light rail system in Galway have been dealt a major blow with a new report showing a Luas-type tram network for the city would be prohibitively costly at €600 million.

The preliminary report on the Public Transport Feasibility Study favours a ‘Bus Rapid Transit’ (BRT) network rather than a GLUAS-style light-rail system primarily because of cost.

Advocates of the GLUAS claim a light-rail system could be put in place in the city at a cost of €200-€250 million but the report notes it would actually cost €600 million.

The report says that although the positive image of light rail would make it more attractive for car users to change their dependence on private cars, a BRT system would be more flexible, need less infrastructure, could be developed incrementally over a number of years and would be less disruptive to build than light rail.

BRT is essentially a…