Sir, – Arthur Beesley's report regarding Galway and its transport system grinding to a halt is an accurate assessment ("A new vision for Galway: 'It will choke unless it changes'", News, Analysis, April 16th).
Galway lost its rail link to both Mayo and Sligo in the mid-1970s. Thankfully, much has changed in the meantime, including the doubling of Galway’s population, doubling of the size of the nation’s labour force, and the size of the Irish economy multiplying by a factor of ten. Sadly the city has continued to build its transport infrastructure almost solely around the private car. Significant road investment, including the N/M6 and N/M17, has been completed. However, congestion is worse than ever. Reopening the railway from Sligo and Mayo to the heart of Galway city would provide a stress-free and sustainable commute. This would take some of the car traffic away from rush hour. For roughly half the price of the proposed new bypass, this project would reconnect the main population centres in Connacht. These towns, with a combined population of 150,000 people, would be connected to Eyre Square without the gridlock. All the alignment is in public ownership, meaning the project could be completed quickly.
This commuter rail project would allow the planners in Galway to take a tentative but decisive first step away from the private car. – Yours, etc,
ULTAN KEADY,
Caherlistrane,
Co Galway.