Alan Kelly (Tipperary North, Labour)

I thank the Deputy for the opportunity to address this issue in the House. The Department has been providing funds to local authorities for bus priority green routes and park and ride measures in the four regional cities of Cork, Galway, Limerick and Waterford for a number of years. This programme is now being managed by the National Transport Authority, NTA, on behalf of the Department. It is a matter for the local authorities in each city to prioritise projects and apply for funding each year.

As the Deputy stated, since 2007 funding of approximately €6 million has been provided by the Department for two green routes in Galway city, one on the Dublin Road and the other on Bóthar Uí Eithir and Forster Street and for the Claregalway quality bus corridor, QBC, in County Galway. These are now fully operational.

In addition €2.3 million has been allocated to Galway City Council in 2011 under this programme to advance the Seamus Quirke Road bus corridor scheme and part-fund the Galway transportation unit. This will be the first QBC west of the Corrib in the city. Work on this scheme commenced in late 2010 and Galway City Council expect it will be completed by the end of this year. It will be of great benefit to commuters in Knocknacarra, Barna and other areas on the western side of Galway city, which I know quite well.

As part of the Department's smarter travel funding programme, funds were provided for a greenway walking and cycle route in Galway city. The Fisheries Field project is situated in the heart of Galway city and will revitalise a former under-utilised canal towpath, providing the missing link in a looped greenway of the city centre along its waterways. The greenway will link NUI Galway's internal greenways to the city centre.

With regard to the feasibility study mentioned by the Deputy, in March 2010, Galway City Council published a report entitled Galway Public Transport Feasibility Study. This report set out an analysis of transport issues in Galway city and proposed an overall transport strategy for the city. The recommendations of the study included reconfiguration of the bus network, development of an east-west bus rapid transit system, traffic management measures, transport integration and other measures. The NTA will work with the city council and the other relevant agencies to deliver some of the key components of the transport report, within the funding envelope that will be made available.

The NTA, which is responsible for the licensing of public bus passenger services nationally, recently undertook two reviews of public transport services in Galway city and county. The Galway city area public transport review assessed the existing public transport network, identified gaps in the network and made recommendations for interventions. These recommendations are being considered by the authority for implementation in early 2012. The Dublin to Galway rail service review assessed the service from a customer, operations and business perspective. These recommendations are also being considered by the authority for implementation in early 2012. Much work is being done as a result of both reviews.

With regard to the possible introduction of a bike sharing scheme in Galway city, an initial feasibility study, which I requested on behalf of the Department, was completed earlier this year by the NTA. This report identified that a scheme could be introduced in Galway city but that capital and ongoing operational costs would arise. I am reviewing this matter. I have organised a number of symposiums in the four cities. Two have been completed. I was in Waterford this morning and in Cork earlier in the week. I will be in Galway next Tuesday.

Notwithstanding the current difficult economic situation, I hope to be in a position to retain a budget for public transport measures in the four regional cities for the next five years. I look forward to advancing a number of the projects I outlined for Galway.

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