Climate isn't that different to much of Netherlands and Denmark where cycling is the default option for many people all year round, largely because of safe infrastructure.
A quick Google told me Amsterdam's anual rainfall is 844mm, while Galways is 2874mm. While I wouldn't describe Galway as overly hilly, it's not as as flat as Amsterdam. Obviously they have incredible cycling infrastructure, but they have had a strong cycling culture for over a century.
We can absolutely improve the infrastructure here and make cycling a safer more attractive mode of transport, but we're never getting to Dutch levels. Or anywhere close.
Not sure about your Googling skills there, because this has Galway coming in under 100mm a month, so <1200mm a year,
Definitely within the same ballpark as Amsterdam;
We need to grow up a bit, and stop using 1 tonne metal cages as raingear.
Not sure about your own Googling skills either - the site you quote gives an avereage for Amsteram of 770mm per year of rainfall. Met Eireann gives an average for Athenry of 1200mm per year - i.e. more than 50% higher so definitely not "within the same ballpark". (And last year the total for Athenry was almost 1.5 metres).
Galway is on the edge of a bloody massive Ocean - Amsterdam is not. I don't see why it's hard for people to understand that, as a consequence, we get far more rain and wind then they do in other locations.
And then there's the question of topography - I've cycled around Amsterdam and there is nary an incline, never mind a hill, to be found.
A flatter, drier, less windy city is definitely easier to cycle around in than hillier, windier, wetter Galway.
That doesn't mean I'm opposed to more, and better, cycle lanes for Galway - I'm not. Painted-on lines in the road are a joke.
I agree that we have to get rid of the primacy of the car as a way for people to get around. Public transport - i.e. BusConnects - is where I believe the focus should be.
For BusConnects, is there a larger plan beyond the cross-city link project to keep buses moving through the city center?
I'm yet to see an ambitious plan to build up a frequent reliable network across the city. Is there anyone working on this?
There is, kinda. Basically they are building a spine through the city, a bus priority route. It will run in both directions, fromSQR all the way over to the galway clinic RAB.
The Cross City Link will go from the end of SQR, at the back of the hospital, over Salmon Weir and out to the Hunstman.
Then the Dublin road will have an additional bus lane outbound added
Eventually, not part of the current GTS, they will update the Western Distributor road to add more infrastructure there too, similar to SQR
Once the new routes are implemented, all of them will use some portion of this spine. Some will get great benefit from it, some will barely get any
Can I ask, is land take required for this?
For example on the Dublin road through Renmore, past the hospital / hospice / Flannery's hotel, GMIT, etc.?
Can four lanes fit into the existing roadspace?
There would be some CPO's, yes, its unavoidable unless you make the road one way. Note its very early days for this part of the route so specifics are not know yet but they have a few drawings which would give an idea of what it would look like e.g. view towards the Hunstman
More details below
The main site for the project has lots of addition info - https://www.bcgdublinroad.ie/
This is due to go into planning Q1 next year but with everything council related, I'm guessing that will be missed and it'll more likely be Q2 or Q3
One residence that I know,loses most of its front garden, council already took some of it years ago.
That's a primary route across the city and very welcome but it's not a network. Tens of thousands of people are still live and work several kilometers off that route. Would like to see a master plan of how the network will look like in 5-10 years.
"Once the new routes are implemented" - implementation is one thing but have they been planned?
Yep... Cars bring about 75%+ of the people in Galway to work on a normal day...
There is a plan to have a half million EV by 2030...
They have targets...
Please show the targets for Galway City in relation to cycling...
EVs aren't going to help traffic congestion.
eBikes are making hills and indeed distance much less of an issue than they were in the past. That little battery can provide some extra oomph to get you over that hill with ease, and through that headwind with ease.
I agree with you that public transport and BusConnects are absolutely essential, and improved cycling facilities should go hand in hand. We can't continue to justify 1-5 tonnes of metal and a two litre diesel engine as a raincoat.
If they have targets, what are they? You haven't detailed any targets for motor traffic in Galway.
I noticed that they still haven't made it too easy for cyclists at the Huntsman junction. You have good infrastructure all the way from Toscane with this plan and then dumped into the junction. Can they not plan and be able to answer yes to a simple question, would i let my kids cycle on this?
Totally agree regarding junctions, they are criminally dangerous in how they are designed.
The documents governing their design are woefully out of date with modern standards. Thankfully they are getting an overhaul next year so with any luck we'll start to see Dutch junctions being rolled out when works are happening.
It won't do anything for the current schedule of works though, which is disheartening
Weather excuses called out
Don't recall many blaming the cold for not cycling. And what does that 50 second clip prove?? That he cycled for 50 seconds? It wasn't raining ( or snowing), looked calm and relatively flat. I wonder will he do that run everyday. Would he cycle up Threadneedle road with it? Or risk coming down it? But sure go on. Throw up another clip, not in Galway and not in the wind and rain to prove you're right.
This is the most ridiculous post ever
Almost obNOXious, I dare to say.
ahhhhh I was wondering where he went
No wind, no rain no hills and it being Finland, probably safe to suggest that they have winter tyres on the bike.
We’re also not told if that is an extremely quiet shared space, or a Greenway.
So not really that relevant or comparable to Galway.
Ok then, I give up, it is impossible to cycle in the rain in Galway. No-one does that.
Completely impossible
Post #4500
"Ah yes, a photo of a well organised demonstration that's taken place once or twice a month for approximately an hour. One has to admire their campaigning and propagandising to be fair."
Hopefully we'll see more of these rolled out across the city once the trial finishes
I posted it years ago but I used to walk to work for several years, rain really wasn't a problem. If there was a shower checking the radar and leaving a few minutes earlier or later was usually sufficient, proper clothes, shoes.
The only time I got uncomfortably wet i think three times was that November when there was all that flooding in the county, twice was in one day.
I know somebody who cycled from town to Oranmore and back every weekday before Covid. Hail, rain, or shine. The only thing that would put him off was very bad winds (storm warning levels) because of the risk of being blown in front of a car. Good rain gear and footwear makes a huge difference. I can see that if you need to be very well presented with full hair and makeup, then cycling in our weather isn’t really suitable but that doesn’t apply to most of us.
Oh now this is interesting, have you a link where it mentions the revision of the guide? I'm out working in NL and the infrastructure is just unreal. Small kids independently cycling all over the cities on segregated lanes. Literally every single road except motorways have cycle lanes and safe junctions. It does look incredibly expensive but they explained to me that that have been building it for 50 years.
By the way the wind here is something else, it's constant and far worse than what I'm used to in Galway. That's what makes cycling here a challenge for me, the locals all have electric bikes to cope.
Its called out in this article.
Due to be completed next year. Once thats done, we should start to see a lot better infrastructure across the board. Honestly, if they start and end with banning the use of paint as infrastructure, I'll be happy
There ya go - relevant images make a far better case.
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