By Dara Bradley

A series of meetings with city centre businesses and residents will be organised to sway public opinion in favour of plans for the further pedestrianisation of Galway’s streets.

But business representatives have this week voiced concern that Galway could become get a reputation as an “unfriendly city” for cars and could drive customers away from the heart of the city.

At a meeting on Wednesday, City Hall officials unveiled proposals to pedestrianise and introduce ‘shared surfaces’ along three main thoroughfares through the city centre.

One of the proposals is to provide a ‘shared surface’ along Eglinton Street to Williamsgate Street. A shared surface will exclude private cars from the street, which will in effect be pedestrianised, but will allow buses and public transport to ‘share’ the street.

Council officials outlined the plans to, and received feedback from, the businesses and residents along the route and business representatives at the meeting in the Imperial Hotel.

Joe Tansey, Senior Engineer at Galway Transportation Unit, said the proposal is only in its infancy and detailed plans, including traffic management and implementation programmes, will be drawn up.
The three proposals are part of the City and County Council’s joint bid to secure €25 million in Government funding for the Galway Metropolitan Area Smarter Travel Plan, which covers the city, Barna, Oranmore and Claregalway.

Mr Tansey said as part of the bid, the Council is committed to “enhancing the public realm”, reducing car usage and recovering road space for pedestrians, cyclists and public transport.

CEO of Galway Chamber Michael Coyle said he is fully behind the Smarter Transport bid and the policy objectives of more sustainable transport modes in the city but cautioned that Galway could get an ‘anti-car’ reputation, if it takes measures that go too far against the motorist.

Mr Coyle said there is a very delicate balance to be struck between promoting alternatives to the car but “there is a tipping point” and if the anti-car measures go too far, there is a danger “people who want, need, prefer or like to use the car”, will do their shopping in places that welcome cars.

“When clamping was introduced, Galway got a bad reputation that if you go to Galway you’ll get clamped. There is a danger that people won’t come to Galway because they will think ‘it’s not friendly place to bring your car to shop’.

“We have to be careful – we can have a fantastic ambiance and streetscape with a great atmosphere where people congregate in the city centre but do their shopping elsewhere, which will not support the city centre as Galway’s primary retail district,” he said.

For more, read page 13 of this week's Connacht Sentinel