LOBBYISTS FOR a light rail system in Galway have pledged to continue their campaign despite a consultancy study which says it is too costly.
Brendan Holland of the Gluas campaign said yesterday his group planned to make a case to Galway City Council next month which would challenge the findings made by the consultancy study.
The MVA consultancy report for Galway City Council, published this month, says a light rail system would cost almost €700 million – 80 per cent more than the cost of a rapid bus network.
An improved bus system, initiated in tandem with park-and-ride facilities and traffic restrictions, would almost treble use of public transport in Galway to 14 per cent of road users by 2020.
It says light rail would take 10 years to start work on and would cause significant disruption.
However, the Gluas campaign believes a “light-touch” rail system could be provided for one-third of the cost. This system requires less road excavation, while Gluas maintains installation would cost a maximum of €210 million. However, the MVA consultants describe light-touch rail as a “high-risk strategy” as it has not been widely tested or used.
The consultancy report estimates that Galway’s population is too small to sustain the cost and running of a light rail, working on a city population estimate of 72,000 and a city/county commuting population with a 30km radius of almost 170,000.
It says a “bendy bus” network for Galway would cost €115 million, with an extra €89 million recommended to improve the current bus system.Green Party senator Niall Ó Brolcháin said more buses “will not entice people to get out of their cars”.