The Galway Transportation Unit is set to finalise its bid for up to €20m from a ‘pot’ of €50m central funding available under the Smarter Travel initiative that could transform Galway with a new sustainable transport system.
The money would be used to implement, among other things, policies to increase the use of cycling and introduce more cyclist friendly measures to the Irish city.
Galway had positioned itself earlier this year as a front-runner to beat Limerick, Cork, and Waterford to win the competitive process and secure millions of euro for public transport initiatives but the funding all hinges on a successful submission, which has to be submitted by October 30.
The Transportation Unit’s wide-ranging submission, which is a joint bid from Galway City and County Councils, will reflect the views of the public as well as transport ‘stakeholders’ in the city.
A public consultation process received 38 submissions from the public as well as from groups such as the Galway City Community Forum, Galway Cycling Campaign, and transport consultants and saw suggestions such as lower speed limits in the city, the introduction of a rent-a-bike scheme like the new initiative in Dublin, more bike parking facilities and more measures to protect cyclists.
The Galway Cycling Campaign said that Galway is ideally suited to benefit from measures that promote sustainable transport.
Galway’s small size and traditional cycling culture make it a perfect city to promote cycling initiatives, according to Galway Cycling Campaign research officer Bart Venneman: “According to the last census, 44 per cent of workers, 70 per cent of college students and 56 per cent of secondary students in Galway live within a 25-minute cycle of their place of study or work. These short distances are perfect for cycling, if you’re reasonably fit and able.”
Cycle commuting in Galway grew by 51 per cent between 2002-2006. The 4.4% who commute by bicycle represent the highest proportion in the country, and the potential is there to increase this figure substantially.
Mr Venneman added: “Because of the bicycle’s great manoeuvrability, you can nip across town at any hour without the hassle of traffic jams. It’s also cheap, environmentally friendly, and great exercise.”
Absolutely they could have. Tarmac is a petroleum-based product and its surface can be very oily when it's newly laid. This is particularly the...
I'm glad the article went into more detail and cleared things up, the headline had me worried that some autonomous building had run rampant and...
Still here, just showing a few signs of wear and tear. Hopefully still serviceable for some years to come.
Has he fully recovered though, and will he ever?...
How can you know that you are "equally fearful" as "any female cyclist"? There is no possible way of quantifying such emotions and female cyclists...
I think it would be fairer to blame the moon - as in "my client is a loony".
Nice idea but Gloucestershire Constabulary are not interested as exemplified by this prvious NMOTD. Not only was there NFA for the close pass in...
Peace Was Never An Option
I think black boxes are great for early detection of cognitive decline and/or sight problems. Someone's driving is going to become much less smooth...
It's a fashion. https://guildford-dragon.com/shalford-driver-who-smashed-shalford-war-me...