It’s full steam ahead on city bypass after Brussels trip

In the wake of a delegation to Brussels about the city bypass, Galway County Council has insisted that it is “carrying on as planned” with finalizing a new preferred route for the road which will cause the least ecological damage and do most to solve the traffic woes.

The group of 19 – made up of county and city Councillors, Oireachtas members, MEPs, community representatives and council officials  – attended a meeting with two high-ranking officials in the European Commission in Brussels on Monday.

Many of the politicians took to the airwaves to declare that the old outer city bypass is still a possibility. This road would have involved the demolition of just a handful of homes but was rejected by the European Court of Justice on the grounds it failed to comply with European environment law.

Cathaoirleach of Galway County Council Cllr Mary Hoade, said the delegation went with a very clear question to be answered – whether the original route could be pursued.

“What we were told is that it wasn’t off the table – but, but, but, we do have to examine all the alternative routes.

“If it’s found that the preferred route is not reasonable or feasible – due to the demolition of homes, sports facilities, college property – they said we can go back to the original route but we would have to compensate for the priority habitat lost by designating the same amount of limestone in another area,” Cllr Hoade said.

The Commission officials had emphasised that the process of ruling out the alternative routes must be rigorous, credible, transparent and defensible, she added.

Galway County Council senior engineer Michael Timmins reiterated that it was not up to the Commission to come up with a route. He likened the Commission to referees ensuring all countries followed the rules they set.

Route selection would be decided by the council and its consultants Arup who were following the process as clearly outlined by the legislation.

“This was two people who work for the Commission offering their opinion. They basically confirmed we are following the correct process by complying with the EU directives and European law,” stated Mr Timmins.

“They don’t know what routes are on the table. The route coming forward must solve the problem we’re trying to solve that is least damaging to the environment – that’s ecological damage and damage to people’s homes.

“Of course it has to be reasonable and feasible. The example they gave was if it costs ten times as much than the next route then why would you build it?

“They did reiterate that ecological protection is of the highest order and not to be taken lightly. Knocking a house is not taken to be paramount above a priority habitat. The process we have followed has examined the old route, we feel the alternatives are better.”

For more, read this week’s Connacht Tribune.