The Galway Transportation Unit is set to finalise its bid for up to €20m from a ‘pot’ of €50m central funding available under the Smarter Travel initiative that could transform Galway with a new sustainable transport system.
The money would be used to implement, among other things, policies to increase the use of cycling and introduce more cyclist friendly measures to the Irish city.
Galway had positioned itself earlier this year as a front-runner to beat Limerick, Cork, and Waterford to win the competitive process and secure millions of euro for public transport initiatives but the funding all hinges on a successful submission, which has to be submitted by October 30.
The Transportation Unit’s wide-ranging submission, which is a joint bid from Galway City and County Councils, will reflect the views of the public as well as transport ‘stakeholders’ in the city.
A public consultation process received 38 submissions from the public as well as from groups such as the Galway City Community Forum, Galway Cycling Campaign, and transport consultants and saw suggestions such as lower speed limits in the city, the introduction of a rent-a-bike scheme like the new initiative in Dublin, more bike parking facilities and more measures to protect cyclists.
The Galway Cycling Campaign said that Galway is ideally suited to benefit from measures that promote sustainable transport.
Galway’s small size and traditional cycling culture make it a perfect city to promote cycling initiatives, according to Galway Cycling Campaign research officer Bart Venneman: “According to the last census, 44 per cent of workers, 70 per cent of college students and 56 per cent of secondary students in Galway live within a 25-minute cycle of their place of study or work. These short distances are perfect for cycling, if you’re reasonably fit and able.”
Cycle commuting in Galway grew by 51 per cent between 2002-2006. The 4.4% who commute by bicycle represent the highest proportion in the country, and the potential is there to increase this figure substantially.
Mr Venneman added: “Because of the bicycle’s great manoeuvrability, you can nip across town at any hour without the hassle of traffic jams. It’s also cheap, environmentally friendly, and great exercise.”
So the collective noun for a group of cyclists is 'a hoard'?
Bro needs to be in primary position.
To answer your question, yes you can sometimes feel the difference. Built a set of wheels for a friend and he installed them with new lightweight...
Cycling infrastructure does not force drivers to break the law, drivers are the reason they break the law, no one else.
Ah but taking pictures of things to defy the man (avoid a fine) is righteous. Taking pictures of people to grass on them to the cops (perhaps...
As a woman, this works great for me! My chain broke once, and a kind guy stopped with a chain breaker and sorted it all out for me. We stopped at a...
Same. I also have gone through a bunch of their tyres, and only the extralight disappointed (torn sidewall) but the standards are fantastic....
thanks for the ideas....
Indeed - but it's no more inconsistent than our current road design - very often UK high streets are "for shopping" and also a busy through route....
If you ask the world's leading economic commentators how many people have been rescued from abject poverty by capitalism the average answer would...