County Councillors behind Galway city LUAS project
MEMBERS of Galway County Council have backed plans for a light rail system (GLUAS) for the city.
The GLUAS project has been in the works for several years and is seen by many as a potential solution to traffic problems across the city. A Galway Light Rail Transit Feasibility Study was published in October 2024 by the National Transport Authority (NTA) to begin looking into the project.
A motion from Loughrea District Councillor Declan Kelly during last month's plenary meeting called on the NTA to carry out further studies and begin examining potential route options for the GLUAS. It received widespread support from councillors and was unanimously approved.
Similar Projects
Many councillors compared the GLUAS project to those completed in other cities like Galway. Cllr Kelly spoke of Dijon in France that was able to build 20km of light rail in four years, making it the envy of all other local authorities and transport departments in France.
Meanwhile, Carnmore Cllr Tomás Grealish referenced Omaha in the United States, a city which regretted replacing its light rail infrastructure with parking lots. This decision led to the loss of thousands of jobs and the need to spend millions on a replacement system.
“This seems a no-brainer to me. Light rail works so well in Dublin, and Cork city are already getting their own feasibility study to see if it can work there. Galway should be included too,” commented Corrandulla Councillor James Charity.
“I went to Birmingham after Aston Villa won the Europa League. They have been able to get their trams extended, so it shows other countries are willing to invest in this type of transport infrastructure outside of their capital cities. Galway should be an ideal location for light rail.”
Executive support
The CEO of Galway County Council Liam Conneally noted he was happy to make this recommendation to the NTA if it was supported as an outcome in the Galway Metropolitan Areas Transport Strategy (GMATS).
He believes the local authority need to look at all forms of transport, including light rail, and get the NTA to investigate their feasibility.
“I’ve been going into Galway city for 50 years now. In that time our city council colleagues have always lacked vision. There are so many things that this city has been deprived of,” offered Williamstown Councillor Declan Geraghty.
“We need to keep calling for services. Just like Mayo (in the football), this will allow us to get what we desire eventually, be it projects like the Galway Ring Road or the GLUAS."