Let motorists use bus lanes on Seamus Quirke Road, says McNelis

By Kernan Andrews

Traffic flow could be helped and commuter times reduced if motorists were allowed use the bus lanes on the Seamus Quirke Road at certain times.

This is the view of Labour city councillor Niall McNelis, who recently wrote to the Galway City Council’s director of services Ciarán Hayes on this issue.

Despite the complete renovation of the roadway, and the inclusion of bus and cycle lanes, many motorists are still highly critical of the design, claiming that traffic flow has not been eased, and the works have made little difference.

In his letter, Cllr McNelis asked if the bus lanes can be made open to motorists who car pool, as a way of engorging car pooling in the city, and if the bus lanes can be used by drivers outside of peak times.

“In Dublin, bus lanes are made open to motorists at certain hours of the day,” Cllr McNelis said “There is no reason why Galway City Council can’t look at options like this as well.”

In response Mr Hayes said that the law does not permit private cars to use bus lanes, which are only for busses, taxis, and cyclists where no cycle lane exists.

“The provision of bus lanes is a clear indication of the city council’s commitment to providing improved public transport facilitates,” Mr Hayes wrote. “If such lanes were to be made available to private cars, this would undermine the strategy of the city council, and the provision of funding by the National Roads Authority.”