EU wonder why West infrastructure is being ignored

yer man! · 30-08-2013 1:08pm #1

Just read in the galway tribune that the EU sent a letter to the Dept of transport enquiring about why they haven't applied for funding for infrastructure projects in the west. They think the west never got a fair share of regional development funding in recent years and are urging them to apply for funds for the Atlantic corridor, rail corridor and more. Why the hell hasn't local govt pushed for this in the past....?

http://www.connachttribune.ie/galway-news/item/1193-eu-has-to-beg-government-to-seek-funds-for-the-west

30-08-2013 1:18pm

Will they also pay the many many millions a reopened western rail corridor would lose every year?

I'm going to take this with a pinch of salt.

yer man! · 30-08-2013 1:20pm

Deleted User wrote: »

Will they also pay the many many millions a reopened western rail corridor would lose every year?

I'm going to take this with a pinch of salt.

Granted I don't agree with the railway funding but some more money going into roads would be nice.

ScumLord · 30-08-2013 1:52pm

yer man! wrote: »

Granted I don't agree with the railway funding but some more money going into roads would be nice.

Yeah, especially since all the plans have been drawn up for the roads. All they need to do is fund them.

I'm turned off going anywhere near Galway these days and usually only go in if I have to for work. Personally I avoid the place because the traffics always so bad.

nuac · 30-08-2013 2:31pm

1. Unless some major changes take place in the economics of road/rail transport, I cannot see much point in opening services from Tuam to Sligo.

2. A better use might be a Cycle Greenway as from Westport to Achill - which is a great success.

3. Much investment is still need for roads - surprised if it has not been sought.

E.g. the N5 from Castlebar to Westport has been waiting for years

Wompa1 · 30-08-2013 2:51pm

A Luas type deal would be pretty cool. Out to where B&Q is by Knocknacarra into Eyre Square and out to Salthill. Another one going from Eyre Square out to the East of the city would be great too. The invest in affordable parking around the city. But that probably only made sense when the economy was good. Even then we didn't really have the volume. But still, pipe dreams

Iwannahurl · 30-08-2013 4:19pm

Curious that the EU should be trying to throw money at us. Still, perhaps we could avail of some new EU funds to undo the damage caused by the way EU funds were used in the past, such as this hideous blot on the landscape (and no, I don't just mean the sign).

30-08-2013 4:38pm

I think this is the petition:

Petition 836/2012 by Martin Cunniffe (Irish), on behalf of West On Track, on the
lack of transparency and fairness in transport policy in Ireland
Speakers: the Chair, Martin Cunniffee (petitioner), Helen Rochford-Brennan
(petitioner), Paul O'Connor (petitioner), Peter Declan Bowen-Walsh (petitioner),
Stephen Langley (Commission), Martina Anderson, Marian Harkin, and Jim Higgins.
Decision: keep open; consider in light of the forthcoming fact-finding visit to Ireland in the
second half of 2013; request a written opinion from the Committee on Transport and Tourism
(TRAN); ask the Commission to provide figures on the breakdown of funds disbursed; send a
letter to the Irish Minister of Transport.

Eeden · 30-08-2013 5:59pm

Iwannahurl wrote: »

Curious that the EU should be trying to throw money at us. Still, perhaps we could avail of some new EU funds to undo the damage caused by the way EU funds were used in the past, such as this hideous blot on the landscape (and no, I don't just mean the sign).

(Slightly OT but) I'd also love to know why after all these years it is still called the Western Distributor Road. Can't anyone think of a name for it?

snubbleste · 30-08-2013 6:07pm

Pádraig Conneely Boulevard

Eeden · 30-08-2013 6:14pm

snubbleste wrote: »

Pádraig Conneely Boulevard

:eek:

IS_a_Class · 30-08-2013 8:03pm

galway needs a running track on the east side of the city. bloody disgraceful state of affairs for athletes to have to struggle through traffic out to dangan

Mrs OBumble · 30-08-2013 8:06pm

Eeden wrote: »

(Slightly OT but) I'd also love to know why after all these years it is still called the Western Distributor Road. Can't anyone think of a name for it?

Cos us foriegners can pronounce that. I also call bothar na dreath (however its spelt) the Eastern Distributor Road.

emptybladder · 30-08-2013 8:09pm

Mrs OBumble wrote: »

Cos us foriegners can pronounce that. I also call bothar na dreath (however its spelt) the Eastern Distributor Road.

Referred to by many as the Eastern Approach Road. Or the 'Ibis' dual carriageway (although not a dualler)

gordongekko · 30-08-2013 8:21pm

IS_a_Class wrote: »

galway needs a running track on the east side of the city. bloody disgraceful state of affairs for athletes to have to struggle through traffic out to dangan

they could always run to it. There were plans to build one in athenry but the bust put pay to that

Iwannahurl · 30-08-2013 9:21pm

gordongekko wrote: »

they could always run to it.

Or not. I know someone working in NUIG who drives to Dangan to go for a run.

Amirani · 30-08-2013 9:23pm

IS_a_Class wrote: »

galway needs a running track on the east side of the city. bloody disgraceful state of affairs for athletes to have to struggle through traffic out to dangan

I laughed. :P

Mrs OBumble · 31-08-2013 10:40am

IS_a_Class wrote: »

galway needs a running track on the east side of the city. bloody disgraceful state of affairs for athletes to have to struggle through traffic out to dangan

Kinda like a racecourse for humans?

gordongekko · 31-08-2013 10:40am

We will probably be looking for a new airport now.

antoobrien · 04-09-2013 1:48pm

They can do us a favour and just say "build that bypass ye were asking us about".:D

Iwannahurl · 05-09-2013 12:28pm

antoobrien wrote: »

They can do us a favour and just say "build that bypass ye were asking us about".:D

antoobrien wrote: »

They can do us a favour and just say "build that bypass ye were asking us about.":D

So good you said it twice.

CowboyTed · 07-09-2013 12:26pm

Bridge across the Corrib at Knockferry...

Cost about 6 million.
Would relieve traffic to the city
Could connect communities of Ougtharard with Headford...
Would making going from West City Galway to North Galway/South Mayo 20 min less during bad traffic...

Castlebar12 · 08-11-2013 7:18pm

nuac wrote: »

1. Unless some major changes take place in the economics of road/rail transport, I cannot see much point in opening services from Tuam to Sligo.

2. A better use might be a Cycle Greenway as from Westport to Achill - which is a great success.

3. Much investment is still need for roads - surprised if it has not been sought.

E.g. the N5 from Castlebar to Westport has been waiting for years

N5 Castlebar would be great. Funding has already been approved for the Greenway to extend to the National Museum in Castlebar.

L1011 · 08-11-2013 10:27pm

They need to sort Ballaghadereen to Strokestown (or totally reroute) before any further west makes sense

Paddico · 13-11-2013 1:59pm

CowboyTed wrote: »

Bridge across the Corrib at Knockferry...

Cost about 6 million.
Would relieve traffic to the city
Could connect communities of Ougtharard with Headford...
Would making going from West City Galway to North Galway/South Mayo 20 min less during bad traffic...

Does anyone know the situation with the Galway by pass and if it will ever go ahead.
Roads improvements, rail and cycle lanes aside this is something that is a must for the city

Eeden · 13-11-2013 2:28pm

Responsibility has been passed from the City to the County Council, I've heard, and I think they pretty much have to start from scratch. It should be a while...

antoobrien · 13-11-2013 2:42pm

Paddico wrote: »

Does anyone know the situation with the Galway by pass and if it will ever go ahead.

They intend in having an application under IORPI to ABP by end of 2015. There are artciles in the two local city based papers published this week (and probably the other ones by the weekend).

http://www.connachttribune.ie/galway-news/item/1738-council-renews-aim-to-have-bypass-open-by-2019

http://galwayindependent.com/20131113/news/bypass-by-2019-S27586.html

Eeden wrote: »

Responsibility has been passed from the City to the County Council, I've heard, and I think they pretty much have to start from scratch. It should be a while...

Not really - there may be some changes, might not be the exact same route (e.g. might have to change if they want to add a junction for the Tuam Rd as mentioned in one of the articles).

“It may be on the same route, it may not,” he said, adding that the council had identified a number of areas where the original design my be improved, including providing a junction onto the Tuam Road.

13-11-2013 5:36pm

I never understood why they didn't include a junction with the N17 originally

antoobrien · 14-11-2013 9:52am

Deleted User wrote: »

I never understood why they didn't include a junction with the N17 originally

They did route selection in 2001, at the time it seems that there was no need for an N17 junction.

I hope what they do is to move the route enough so that they can put in a combined N17 & N84 junction with link roads between to the roads, rather than two junctions off the project.

L1011 · 14-11-2013 3:50pm

Deleted User wrote: »

I never understood why they didn't include a junction with the N17 originally

Expection was (and it looks like it will be the case) that the N17 would be an R-road by the time the bypass opened, due to the M17. Probably still needs a junction anyway.

robd · 15-11-2013 12:14pm

The article is mis-leading. It says West of Ireland when really it means only Connaught. There is no case for rail in Connaught, it doesn't have the population density nor will it.

With regard to the Atlantic Corridor (a dual carriageway/motorway), the section that is most important is Cork to Limerick. I don't think EU funding covers this region as it's not part of BMW, but I could be wrong. This section is at least a decade off being built. The section North of Galway is irrelevant until this section is built. It's about priority.

dubhthach · 15-11-2013 3:11pm

robd wrote: »

The article is mis-leading. It says West of Ireland when really it means only Connaught. There is no case for rail in Connaught, it doesn't have the population density nor will it.

With regard to the Atlantic Corridor (a dual carriageway/motorway), the section that is most important is Cork to Limerick. I don't think EU funding covers this region as it's not part of BMW, but I could be wrong. This section is at least a decade off being built. The section North of Galway is irrelevant until this section is built. It's about priority.

%s/Connaught/Connacht/g

robd · 15-11-2013 5:31pm

dubhthach wrote: »

%s/Connaught/Connacht/g

Regex back at ya !!!

Excuse my West Brit spelling.

antoobrien · 15-11-2013 5:51pm

robd wrote: »

The article is mis-leading. It says West of Ireland when really it means only Connaught. There is no case for rail in Connaught, it doesn't have the population density nor will it.

With regard to the Atlantic Corridor (a dual carriageway/motorway), the section that is most important is Cork to Limerick.

Neither Limerick nor Clare are "West" but rather "South West" (not my classifications btw). Wrt the A.C. N/M20 is only currently important to Cork & Limerick if we look at it from a West POV. Air traffic goes through Shannon, Knock or Dublin, sea traffic is mostly Dublin.

robd wrote: »

I don't think EU funding covers this region as it's not part of BMW, but I could be wrong.

This is correct. BMW is Connacht, the 3 Ulster counties, Louth, Longford, Westmeath & Laois.

robd wrote: »

The section North of Galway is irrelevant until this section is built. It's about priority.

It's very relevant to the existing traffic use patterns in the west. Whether we like it or not, it's still far easier to get to Dublin than Cork.

But that's not to say that we don't need N/M20 or N/M25 if and when they are built because we also need to get away from the Dublin centric model.

Do we build the bit that will give more of the west better access to where they are already going, or deny them that to build them something else (e.g. 20/25) that won't be of use to them for years (until the connecting sections are built)?

Banjoxed · 18-11-2013 10:14am

robd wrote: »

The article is mis-leading. It says West of Ireland when really it means only Connaught. There is no case for rail in Connaught, it doesn't have the population density nor will it.

With regard to the Atlantic Corridor (a dual carriageway/motorway), the section that is most important is Cork to Limerick. I don't think EU funding covers this region as it's not part of BMW, but I could be wrong. This section is at least a decade off being built. The section North of Galway is irrelevant until this section is built. It's about priority.

Oh right. So you are advocating terminating train services at Athlone and Longford as well as North of Ennis. Thanks for that clarification.

robd · 18-11-2013 3:11pm

Banjoxed wrote: »

Oh right. So you are advocating terminating train services at Athlone and Longford as well as North of Ennis. Thanks for that clarification.

This is the reason I don't really do boards.ie anymore. My post refers to priorities for investment in infrastructure not current train services. Interpret as you wish !!!

dowlingm · 19-11-2013 10:39pm

http://www.europarl.europa.eu/meetdocs/2009_2014/documents/peti/cm/929/929973/929973en.pdf

The Commission is of the view that it is primarily the responsibility of the Irish authorities to establish the location and prioritisation of investments in public transport infrastructure. In doing so, the Irish authorities are bound to take account of the results of cost-benefit analysis and the nature of socio-economic impacts deriving from such investments. Furthermore theIrish authorities are obliged to respect the various provisions and procedures relating to the granting of planning permission, and these include public consultation in appropriate cases.

Should such national procedures or provisions have been breached or disregarded, a case might be brought before the competent courts of law and/or administrative tribunals in Ireland.

antoobrien · 20-11-2013 9:20am

dowlingm wrote: »

http://www.europarl.europa.eu/meetdocs/2009_2014/documents/peti/cm/929/929973/929973en.pdf

The road scheme with the best CBA in the country is in Co Galway, meanwhile a whole list of other projects in the east and southeast get the go ahead before it.

dowlingm · 20-11-2013 3:18pm

antoobrien wrote: »

The road scheme with the best CBA in the country is in Co Galway, meanwhile a whole list of other projects in the east and southeast get the go ahead before it.

Source?

TheBandicoot · 20-11-2013 9:33pm

dowlingm wrote: »

http://www.europarl.europa.eu/meetdocs/2009_2014/documents/peti/cm/929/929973/929973en.pdf

It is very satisfying to see WoT getting fobbed off like that.

antoobrien · 21-11-2013 9:42am

dowlingm wrote: »

Source?

If you haven't heard of it at this stage......

notharrypotter · 27-11-2013 2:33pm

antoobrien wrote: »

If you haven't heard of it at this stage......

Me neither so can you please enlighten me?

On a side issue when did they start to replace the roundabouts at the Galway Shopping centre with lights?

GerardKeating · 27-11-2013 10:32pm

notharrypotter wrote: »

Me neither so can you please enlighten me?

On a side issue when did they start to replace the roundabouts at the Galway Shopping centre with lights?

March or April i think

cgcsb · 03-12-2013 8:54am

antoobrien wrote: »

The road scheme with the best CBA in the country is in Co Galway, meanwhile a whole list of other projects in the east and southeast get the go ahead before it.

Are you talking about the planned M17? if so I severely doubt that's accurate. Tuam is the only significant settlement it serves and Tuam has a population of 9,000, even if they ALL had a car and drove on it, it will still be a lightly trafficed, at best, road. It's more likely that the M50 upgrade has the highest CBA or perhaps the Newland's X upgrade.

antoobrien · 03-12-2013 9:11am

cgcsb wrote: »

Are you talking about the planned M17? if so I severely doubt that's accurate.

Nope

cgcsb · 03-12-2013 2:15pm

antoobrien wrote: »

Nope

The now completed M6? tell us, oh wise one.

dloob · 05-12-2013 12:19am

I imagine he means the Galway City outer bypass.
But it's not funding that is holding it up.

antoobrien · 05-12-2013 9:25am

dloob wrote: »

I imagine he means the Galway City outer bypass.
But it's not funding that is holding it up.

Somebody finally got it.

No it's not funding but interference from government departments (the route was selected in 2001 but extra SACs were designated across the route several years later) that's causing they delay.

Iwannahurl · 05-12-2013 11:26am

That particular environment was what it was prior to the SAC designation. It's kind of like the way Obama was black before he became POTUS.

antoobrien · 05-12-2013 12:17pm

Iwannahurl wrote: »

That particular environment was what it was prior to the SAC designation.

Not (exactly) accurate, the NHA in Moycullen was (and ABP rejected this portion specifically because of this). The Eastern environments were proposed for protected status after route selection.

EU wonder why West infrastructure is being ignored

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