Councillor Terry O’Flaherty has welcomed a change of plans on the routing of future bus services for Mervue. The National Transport Authority has confirmed that buses will not run through the narrow avenues in Old Mervue as part of the planned big revamp of Galway City’s public transport services.
Councillor O’Flaherty had described as “bonkers” the originally published BusConnects plan to run buses through Barry Avenue, Tone Avenue, McDermott Avenue, Parnell Avenue and on to the Monivea Road.
Following strong opposition locally, the NTA has decided that instead the planned new Route 3, from Ballybrit to Rahoon, will continue on up Michael Collins Road and Connolly Avenue.
And the new Route 1, operating between Parkmore and Salthill, will deviate off the Monivea Road to service existing stops at Parnell and Clarke Avenues under the revised Galway BusConnects plans, due to be implemented in stages in 2025 and 2026.“I had received a number of complaints from people living in Old Mervue who were very concerned for their safety if buses were put through these narrow streets,” she said.
The NTA’s original plan sparked controversy when it proposed to remove a bus stop in Parnell Avenue, which has served people living in Old Mervue for decades.
