BusConnects Galway: Dublin Road

Click this link to find out further details on the website for this project

 

What does this project entail?

The BusConnects Galway: Dublin Road project is a planned continuous corridor of high-quality public transport, pedestrian and cycling facilities running along the length of the R338 Dublin Road.  This 3.9km route, running from east of the Moneenageisha Junction to the Doughiska Junction, will be adjacent to the Atlantic Technological University, Merlin Park Hospital, Bon Secours Hospital as well as schools and other amenities. 

The new bus facilities, which will include additional dedicated bus lanes in both directions and enhanced bus stops, will provide for more reliable and more comfortable journeys for commuters.  The provision of active travel infrastructure, including segregated cycle tracks and upgraded pedestrian facilities, will allow for safer, more comfortable journeys for walkers, wheelers and cyclists.

For Galway to flourish as an attractive city in which to live and work, a modern high-quality public transport system is needed which allows people to conveniently reach key destinations within a reasonable time. This will, over time, create opportunities for lifestyle choices with less reliance on private car use.  This will require public transport priority measures like this project to be implemented.

The BusConnects Galway: Dublin Road project is part of Galway’s growing network of public transport infrastructure.  It will link in with other completed and pending projects including the Ballybane Road and Castlepark Road Cycle Network Scheme, the Doughiska Road South Cycle Network and the BusConnects Galway: Cross-City Link project.

Full details on this project are available on the dedicated BusConnects Galway: Dublin Road website which you can visit by clicking on this link.

What progress has been made so far?

Galway City Council currently expects to lodge a planning application for this project with An Bord Pleanála in Q1 2025.  The Council has engaged with landowners and other stakeholders along the route of the proposed scheme as we prepare to lodge this application.

Prior to this, in 2020, a non-statutory consultation on an ‘Emerging Preferred Route’ took place. This provided a wealth of insight and information to the design team.

Since this consultation, significant changes in design and procurement guidance required a review of the proposed design, to ensure compliance with current ‘good practice’. These changes include updates to the Public Spending Code, revised design guidance on layouts for bus corridors, and revised National Transport Authority Project Approval Guidelines.

As a result of these changes, and feedback from the first public consultation on BusConnects Galway: Dublin Road, the ‘Emerging Preferred Route’ was updated.

Feedback on the updated Emerging Preferred Route was received as part of a second non-statutory public consultation on the BusConnects Galway: Dublin Road proposals, which was held in early 2023.  Where feasible, this feedback has now been incorporated into the design of the project.

As part of this process, a virtual room was established to provide further information on this project, and you can visit this room by clicking on this link.  Please note that the public consultation period has now ended.

What is BusConnects?

BusConnects is a programme of public transport investment in Ireland’s major urban centres. It is developed and managed by the National Transport Authority (NTA) and funded by Project Ireland 2040.  BusConnects aim is to deliver a bus service that’s better for everybody - the people, the city and the environment.