Review of public transport in Galway to take place next year

A review of the Galway Transport Strategy will take place next year – and the Minister for Transport has confirmed it will include a feasibility study for a light rail system.

But supporters of the city’s ring road, commonly referred to as the bypass, are concerned that Minister Eamon Ryan has not referred to the road at all in his Dáil comments about the strategy review.

Minister Ryan confirmed to Galway West TDs, Catherine Connolly (Ind) and Éamon Ó Cuív (FF) that the strategy will be reviewed next year by the National Transport Authority (NTA) and Galway City and County Councils.

He said there was a need to review the strategy, and “take stock of developments since its publication in 2016”.

“A feasibility study for light rail will be carried out as part of the review of the Strategy,” Minister Ryan told the two Galway West Deputies.

But Deputy Ó Cuív said the response from Minister Ryan was worrying.

“I think it is very significant that there is no mention of the Ring Road as one of the key elements of the existing strategy that needs to be delivered,” Deputy Ó Cuív told the Tribune.

Minister Ryan said the review of the strategy will include analysis of population projection changes, development density, employment forecasts, and future travel demand patterns.

“This analysis will be utilised to reassess the public transport needs across Galway City and the potential role all modes of transport, including light rail, can play in meeting those needs,” he said.