Jack Chambers (Dublin West, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

The National Transport Authority is overseeing the delivery of the BusConnects programme in our five major cities, including Galway, which will be substantially delivered in all five cities by 2030. BusConnects Galway will be a major enhancement to the bus system in Galway, comprising changes to the network, the fleet, ticketing, bus shelters and poles, and the development of bus lanes and other bus priority measures. The largest part of the programme is the development of bus priority measures and bus lanes throughout the city. Key elements of that programme are currently under development, namely, the cross-city link project and the Dublin Road scheme. The Salmon Weir pedestrian and cycling bridge was also officially opened to the public last month.

Bus services are also being improved and members of the public have been asked for their input on how they want the Galway bus network to look and operate in the future. The NTA published its draft bus network for Galway in April 2023. A public consultation on the draft new network ran for six weeks and closed on 2 June. The redesign will be finalised in the coming months and the new network will be rolled out from 2025. Under the proposals within the Galway bus network redesign report, the level of bus services in Galway city, Bearna and Oranmore should increase by nearly 50%. The added service levels will make possible the extension of bus services to new areas, frequent services on a greater number of routes, an enhanced weekend timetable and a new 24-hour route. The proposals should also result in approximately 67% of residents in the city and its suburbs living within a 400 m walk of a bus stop compared to 62% today. BusConnects Galway will represent a step change in the provision of bus services in the city.

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