[article] Galway city bus upgrade to cost €35m

Navan Junction

Avril Horan, Irish Times, 15/11/2006


Details of a €35 million Galway city bus plan, which is set to transform bus services over the next six years, have been released.


City councillors voted this week to allow the Galway Bus Strategy Study to go forward for public consultation.

Councillors will revisit the plan in February and vote whether to go ahead with it. The study, by consultants Booz, Allen & Hamilton in association with DBFL Engineering, cost the city council €200,000.

If it goes ahead, the short-term plan is for buses to follow specific routes rather than the current cross-city system.

Quality bus corridors will be introduced with high-frequency services every 15 minutes in the city and every 30 minutes in commuter areas during peak times.

Under the strategy, passengers' waiting time is set to be reduced by 28 per cent and all routes will be reviewed.

New, easy to read timetables will be available, along with better quality and more visible bus shelters, and cost-effective ticketing.

If implemented, the report suggests bus use in the city will rise by 200 per cent, in line with an increase in the number of buses and frequency of services.

Consultants Derval Cummins and Joe Seymour received a mixed reaction from councillors when they unveiled the €34.5 million plan at this week's city council meeting.

The councillors' main concern was that the amount set aside for the plan is not enough. Councillors pointed out that the relief road to Barna costs €20 million for one mile of road. However, the consultants argued the €35 million price tag for new bus infrastructure is realistic.

Concerns were also voiced over other transport plans for Galway city and whether they have fallen by the wayside.

Labour Cllr Collette Connolly inquired how this new study fits in with the 1999 Galway Transport Study, the 2005 report on bus strategy, a bus priority report in 2003 and a light rail study for Galway unveiled earlier this year.

The council wants consultants to look at other countries with similar traffic problems before the plan is finalised.

© The Irish Times

http://www.ireland.com/newspaper/ireland/2006/1115/1163060510095.html

markpb

Navan Junction wrote:

Quality bus corridors will be introduced with high-frequency services every 15 minutes in the city and every 30 minutes in commuter areas during peak times.

That's great news and all but I'd love to meet the person who thinks 15 minutes is high frequency for a city bus service. Bus Eireann have commuter bus services out of Dublin that match that frequency. TfL reccomend 7 to 12 minutes for a turn up and go service.

Victor

Navan Junction wrote:

If it goes ahead, the short-term plan is for buses to follow specific routes rather than the current cross-city system.

Oh, look! Somewhere to sell all the "An Lar" signs to.

Chris_533976

I love the way they're proud of themselves for thinking about providing timetables

Sadly though, half the bus stops in Galway DONT HAVE TIMETABLES. It drives me mad.

Tawny

Apologies for resurrecting a very old thread. I just thought it was really funny!!


Plans, plans, plans...

They are very good at making plans