Galway - Light Rail

07-04-2021 11:05am

cgcsb wrote: »

You seem well informed. Is there a website or document with at least a scrap of information about the overall busconnects galway project similar to what there is for the Dublin project and what's being developed for the Cork project?

I see that there's consultation on the Dublin Road and City Centre corridors but there's no overall document/website to tell us things like:
How many corridors are there, where will they go, what priority measures are proposed etc.

The list of current projects is here https://www.galwaycity.ie/maintenance-strategy-projects

From that page you can get links to the project pages which contain the websites, drawings etc for each project

cgcsb · 07-04-2021 11:12am

Deleted User wrote: »

The list of current projects is here https://www.galwaycity.ie/maintenance-strategy-projects

From that page you can get links to the project pages which contain the websites, drawings etc for each project

I see, so there is no information regarding the other corridors at present, or even how many there are. Fair enough.

07-04-2021 12:30pm

cgcsb wrote: »

I see, so there is no information regarding the other corridors at present, or even how many there are. Fair enough.

That's the GTS https://www.galwaycity.ie/galway-transport-strategy

PatrickSmithUS · 12-04-2021 3:04pm

Sam Russell wrote: »

If the light rail is cheap enough, and will convert car users to use it, and reduces congestion, then that is need enough.

It is a lot cheaper than the proposed bypass which will not reduce congestion, and will increase car use. Also the bypass will not be completed in a decade.

I've lived in Cork, Limerick, Wexford and Letterkenny. Locals will always drive rather than wait for a bus.

riddlinrussell · 12-04-2021 3:14pm

PatrickSmithUS wrote: »

I've lived in Cork, Limerick, Wexford and Letterkenny. Locals will always drive rather than wait for a bus.

Exactly, carrots are required nationwide, but they need to be coupled with sticks for car drivers, make it harder to access the city by car, reduce non disabled parking, decent pedestrianised zones, town congestion charges scaled on engine capacity/car value etc.

EDIT: Incentives for delivery companies to switch to cargo carrier bikes for last mile would be fantastic for reducing space required for delivery and need for big trucks to come into town and city centres in all but the most exceptional of circumstances

Sam Russell · 12-04-2021 4:15pm

PatrickSmithUS wrote: »

I've lived in Cork, Limerick, Wexford and Letterkenny. Locals will always drive rather than wait for a bus.

Well, waiting for Luas and hopping off near the desired destination might be a better option than sitting in a traffic jam, then searching for a parking spot that requires paying for, and then walking to the desired destination.

Park and Ride makes a lot of sense for Galway because of all the one-off houses in remote locations. The benefit of Luas type service is that the next one will be along in a few minutes - and the display counts down. Unlike buses, the arrival of a Luas is not a surprise.

If it is reliable, quicker, and frequent, it will be used.

12-04-2021 5:26pm

Sam Russell wrote: »

Well, waiting for Luas and hopping off near the desired destination might be a better option than sitting in a traffic jam, then searching for a parking spot that requires paying for, and then walking to the desired destination.

Park and Ride makes a lot of sense for Galway because of all the one-off houses in remote locations. The benefit of Luas type service is that the next one will be along in a few minutes - and the display counts down. Unlike buses, the arrival of a Luas is not a surprise.

If it is reliable, quicker, and frequent, it will be used.

There wont be a light rail in Galway this side of 2050 so there's little point talking about it

What I will say, is some of the benefits you listed above are already there for the existing bus services

cgcsb · 13-04-2021 10:15am

Sam Russell wrote: »

The benefit of Luas type service is that the next one will be along in a few minutes - and the display counts down. Unlike buses, the arrival of a Luas is not a surprise.

If it is reliable, quicker, and frequent, it will be used.

Buses can also achieve this. The main benefit of upgrading to light rail would be capacity enhancement. Current bus proposals are for a bus less than 'every 15 mins'. You need to have buses going every 5 mins before considering the upgrade to light rail in my opinion.

Sam Russell · 13-04-2021 10:41am

cgcsb wrote: »

Buses can also achieve this. The main benefit of upgrading to light rail would be capacity enhancement. Current bus proposals are for a bus less than 'every 15 mins'. You need to have buses going every 5 mins before considering the upgrade to light rail in my opinion.

I would agree with a frequency of 5 minutes for a bus, but bunching is always a problem with buses. Bus lanes and junction priority does help to reduce this.

The benefit of Luas is that they are on dedicated spaces (tracks). However, I have sat on a Luas waiting 5 minutes at the Benburb St to cross over to Heuston Station because they had to wait for a light to proceed,. Luas loses some of its shine when it is not given adequate priority.

cgcsb · 13-04-2021 10:44am

Sam Russell wrote: »

I would agree with a frequency of 5 minutes for a bus, but bunching is always a problem with buses. Bus lanes and junction priority does help to reduce this.

The benefit of Luas is that they are on dedicated spaces (tracks). However, I have sat on a Luas waiting 5 minutes at the Benburb St to cross over to Heuston Station because they had to wait for a light to proceed,. Luas loses some of its shine when it is not given adequate priority.

Any priority that you can give to a tram, you can also give to a bus, it's just that those in power often chose not to.

riddlinrussell · 13-04-2021 10:57am

cgcsb wrote: »

Any priority that you can give to a tram, you can also give to a bus, it's just that those in power often chose not to.

So if they want a big shiny tram, sell them on it being easier to put through if they establish a priority lane for it now, and sure look, happy coincidence we can run buses down it until you can winkle out the cash for a tram from the Oireachtas!

Paddico · 14-04-2021 1:57pm

Deleted User wrote: »

There wont be a light rail in Galway this side of 2050 so there's little point talking about it

What I will say, is some of the benefits you listed above are already there for the existing bus services

Totally agreed ... unless the strike oil in Galway bay

04-10-2021 1:11pm

This is on the long finger again

From the NDP published today

while the feasibility of light rail in Galway will be considered again as part of the review of the Galway Transport Strategy (which will commence in 2022).

So the next GTS review, starting in 2022, finishing in 2023, possibly 2024, will say a feasibility study should be done.

The feasibility study will be put forward in 2025, maybe get funding by 2027, get started by 2028 and completed by 2030.

Then it will take 1-2 years more while its being reviewed.

Then it will go through the 13 year process to actually get built, making it about 2045 by the time it will actually open. I'll be able to use the free travel pass by then

Pete_Cavan · 06-10-2021 2:47pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117983577#Comment_117983577

If anything, I'd say it's whataboutery to promote the bypass, "build the bypass then put in a wonderful but unspecified public transport system at some undefined point in the future" - aka prioritise cars but pay lip service to PT.

Sam Russell · 06-10-2021 3:36pm

I like the idea of a Luas system for Galway. Claregalway to CC, and Knocknacara to Ballybrit/Coolagh roundabout area along the N6, with a lot of P&R provided as possible.

I would also be in favour of free/cheap PT.

Pete_Cavan · 06-10-2021 3:37pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117984113#Comment_117984113

Expect such a bypass is never likely to be built, and if it was such a public transport system is even less likely to be built as a fortune will have been spent on a commuter traffic magnet. But thanks for proving my point about a commuter highway is seen as vital before public transport can be improved.

06-10-2021 6:11pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117984816#Comment_117984816

It depends if you are a pragmatist and want to make Galway a great place to live with good public transport and cars kept out of city

Except there are no plans, anywhere, to limit the access of cars when the GCRR comes along. The current GTS limits access on a very, very small scale but that includes the GCRR.

Therefore, if you wish to maintain the point that the GCRR is needed before bus lanes, bike lanes, paths, light rail etc can be provided, then you'll need to back it up with something as this idea does not exist anywhere except in your own mind, no offense meant.

CatInABox · 06-10-2021 7:06pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117985050#Comment_117985050

Indeed, if the ring road was part of a major program to revolutionise Galway City Centre, then I'd expect it to get a much easier ride from all over the political spectrum. Even from an legal point of view, being able to say "yes, we know that the ring road isn't very environmentally friendly, but look at all the stuff that is, and will be done before or concurrently with the ring road" would make a massive difference to ABP and the courts.

Pete_Cavan · 06-10-2021 7:49pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117984816#Comment_117984816

It never ceases to amaze me how some people turn every situation into a binary choice between being a virtuous person if you agree with them or a flawed individual if you don't. No room for anything in between.

Anyway, there was nothing pragmatic about going for a 17km dual carriageway from Coonagh to Barna with tunnels and a large viaduct. That was always going to be a nightmare to obtain planning approval for, nevermind the enormous cost was always going to be difficult to justify.

Pragmatism would have been to focus on a new bridge, along with radical public transport improvements. Instead car commuters were prioritised and the eggs went into the extremely feeble basket that is a plan which was inevitably going to result in years of planning disputes. Little active/public transport can progress in the meantime as everything hinges on the aforementioned project. The whole thing is the polar opposite of pragmatism.

hans aus dtschl · 08-10-2021 1:23pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117985443#Comment_117985443

Well you are looking at this from a "transport" perspective. And OK, from a "transport" perspective, it makes little sense to do the new road with no simultaneous sustainable transport measures.

However, if you look at this from a "promoting surface sprawl" perspective, then the new road is an extremely attractive proposition. If your vision for the future is extending the current low density development outwards from the city centre then a new outer distributor road is by far the most obvious technological solution. It won't do anything for existing traffic, transport or other issues, agreed, but it would be very attractive to some people.

Unfortunately though, to solve existing traffic and transport issues, densification is needed. I agree with the concept of "building for light rail and running buses on it in the interim". That's probably what bus connects aims to do, but it would be a much sexier sell to the public to say "in the future this will be the tram..."

16-11-2021 9:19pm

Feasibility study for light rail to be completed as part of the review of the Galway Transport Strategy next year

https://connachttribune.ie/review-of-public-transport-in-galway-to-take-place-next-year/

seanin4711 · 16-11-2021 9:36pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/2057914006/galway-light-rail

if we cannot even get a bypass or safe cycling infrastructure,we might as well aspire to hovercrafts or spaceships!

Pete_Cavan · 16-11-2021 10:29pm

Isn't the current Strategy basically just build a big **** off bypass? It certainly needs a review anyway and maybe even moreso after ABP makes it's decision on the bypass. A Luas feasibility study is just a waste of money though.

16-11-2021 11:11pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118177909#Comment_118177909

Honestly, the best thing that could happen for Galway is the GCRR gets canned.

If that happens then I think the city will end up with an expanded network of high frequency bus routes with associated infrastructure, full bike lane network, increased permeability for pedestrians, park and rides etc etc etc with light rail possibly in the late 2030's

Galway - Light Rail

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