BY FRANK FARRAGHER

The city is to receive a Government investment in transport worth up to €25 million over the next five years that will fund increased pedestrianisation, more bus lanes, a state-of-the-art traffic control centre and possibly a new Salmon Weir bridge.

Although the city just missed out on the competition for the Smarter Travel funding, Transport Minister of State, Alan Kelly, this week confirmed investment of ‘between €20m and €25m’ for the city, under the National Roads Authority’s, Regional Cities Programme.

He said that this money would be spent over the next five years with the city being treated as ‘a major priority for transport investment’.

The ‘consolation prize’ for the city looks certain to turn out far more valuable than coming out tops in the Smarter Travel competition – here the winners were Limerick who will receive a total of €9m for various transport initiatives.

Galway was ranked second in that Smarter Travel bid for the larger cities but the scale of their €22m submission probably weighed against them, as this would have ‘gobbled up’ the entire national fund.

Yesterday, Labour Party Galway West TD, Derek Nolan, told the Galway City Tribune, that while the city might have just lost out on the Smarter Travel competition, the scale of the Government investment for Galway in the Regional Cities Programme was fantastic news for the city.

“At a time when funding is so tight nationally, this is really great news for Galway,” said Deputy Nolan.

City Council Director of Services, Ciarán Hayes, told the Galway City Tribune, that the funding announced this week in the Regional Cities Programme was very exciting news for Galway and would represent a highly significant investment in the transport infrastructure of the urban area.

“This funding will enable us to carry out a number of projects in the city that will have major long-term positive results for the people of Galway,” he said.

For more on this story, see the Galway City Tribune.