Mr. Uinsinn Finn:

The next slide outlines the seven principles of the GTS. The focus of the strategy is very much on the city centre core to prioritise pedestrian use, cycling and public transport and to allow vehicular traffic into the city centre primarily to access car parks while making improvements in the city centre core to enable traffic to flow. A key element is bus priority through the city centre to reduce bus journey times and provide reliability in respect of journey times for customers. Coupled with that, a number of the primary routes of the city on the bus network, particularly on the Dublin Road, will have bus priority to enhance journey times. The following slide outlines the modelling that was done on the public transport bus network. It shows the existing bus routes and the proposed new bus routes with the enhancement provided. It shows the number of people that will be within a ten-minute walk of a bus stop in the city centre under the new arrangement. Up to 77% of people will be within ten minutes of a bus stop and 72% of them will be near where people work. That will provide much better access to buses. There will be increased priority for infrastructural improvements on those routes to reduce journey times. There also will be a cycling network with different tiers. Working with our funding agencies, the NTA and TII, we will look to develop them over the coming years to provide better connectivity throughout the city for cycling and walking.

Alternatives to the GTS were examined as well. With regard to light rail and rapid transit, the current rapid transit usage is 1,100 passengers per hour and the current bus network can meet that capacity. Our focus is very much on providing priority for the bus network and future proofing it as the city expands. It is a low density city centre core with many of the suburbs comprising semi-detached houses. Currently, the population density required for commuters to be within a ten-minute walk of a light rail system does not support such a system.

One of the other key considerations related to the city orbital route. If everything in the GTS relating to public transport, walking and cycling improvements was done, the modelling showed that the orbital route would be still required to reduce traffic congestion out of the city centre and to provide the bus priority that is needed.

The final slide outlines that the GTS is excellent in that it is a strategy for the city for the next 30 years. We are moving forward quickly to get projects to planning stage. We have projects at construction stage but we expect a significant increase in funding in the capital plan to enable works to move to construction. Parkmore access improvements are ongoing. We have had a number of projects in the past year and I am sure there will be enhanced budget provision for those in 2018 and beyond. As Mr. McGrath mentioned, the Kirwan roundabout upgrade is a TII-funded project and we hope that will go to construction at the end of the year. It is at Part 8 in the planning process currently and we hope to have that in front of our city councillors shortly. The Tuam Road is another key project while the city centre transport management plan is at design stage. An update was presented to councillors at their January meeting. That is very much about bus priority in the city centre and improvements to traffic flow outside the city centre. There is a project for the Dublin Road as well as cycling and greenway projects. General junction safety improvements for pedestrians throughout the city will be undertaken and, last but not least, is the Galway city ring road.