Oppostion to bypass is gaining momentum

Opposition to the emerging preferred route for the controversial city bypass is gaining momentum, the Galway N6 Action Group is claiming.

The city residents’ group says it will be organising a meeting in the next fortnight to mobilise opposition to the planned road.

“After all of the initial positive spin from ARUP and Galway County Council when the announcement of the preferred route was made two weeks ago, the reality on the ground for homeowners is very different.

“At the time of the announcement, much was made of the willingness of ARUP to work with residents to mitigate the worst effects of the new route. However, it is becoming very clear that the scope for mitigation is very limited because of the number of houses affected,” it said in a statement.

The drivers of the project – the County Council and consultants ARUP – acknowledge that some 41 homes will be knocked, a further 10 houses will be seriously affected and a total of 300 land and property owners are impacted.

“That amounts to more than 1,000 people if one assumes four people per household,” said a spokesperson for Galway N6 Action Group.

“ARUP personnel are courteous and attentive, but their scope to make meaningful changes is severely compromised by the number of homes affected on a relatively short stretch of road.

“Householders are now faced with the fact that the stark choice they are confronted with is to agree to the proposed route or to oppose it because the third option, which is meaningful mitigation, is very limited.”

The group says members have been denied access to traffic figures to substantiate the need for the road.

“ARUP are unwilling or unable to provide this data. It is alienating to residents when they are not being furnished with the information which substantiates the need for the bypass and the destruction of their homes and or the reduction of their quality of life.”

Householders affected have questioned why alternatives haven’t been progressed including a bus service crossing the Quincentenary Bridge from Knocknacarra and Salthill to Parkmore. The group was also “shocked to learn” that an Environmental Impact Study on the preferred route is not yet complete.

“There is a growing sense that this process is disrespectful to homeowners.

“They feel they are being rushed through a process where ARUP’s deadlines are more important than the needs and rights of residents to be presented with a comprehensive package of reasons outlining why this inner bypass is the only solution to Galway’s traffic congestion problems.

“It is leading to increased opposition to the route and the Galway N6 Action Group is being approached by other communities along the proposed route as residents along the route try to join forces in opposition to the proposed route. Because of this, the group is likely to hold a public meeting in the next two weeks to coordinate the growing opposition to the emerging preferred route,” the group said.

Meanwhile, residents in Barna impacted by the emerging preferred route are having another meeting this week to discuss their next course of action.

Barna N6 Action Group will meet in the youth centre beside Barna Church today, Friday June 5 at 8pm. It is a public meeting but in particular anyone whose property or land is affected by the road is urged to attend.

“At the previous meeting about half of those who are affected and who received letters had already met directly with consultants Arup and officials from Galway County Council. Since then the other half have met with the consultants and, so, at our upcoming meeting everyone will have met with the consultants and we will have a better indication of the impact this will have on Barna,” a spokesperson said.

More than 300 people attended meetings in Westwood and Menlo Park hotels last week where 3-D images of the proposed road were on show.