Galway West representative Noel Thomas has called for an urgent review of ongoing DMURS-related roadworks across Galway city, warning that residents are being left to deal with designs that are not working on the ground — while key public transport improvements such as dedicated bus lanes are still missing.
Raising the issue following concerns from locals along Ballybane Road, Noel Thomas said that while road safety and sustainable transport are often cited as the objective, the current rollout feels disconnected from the reality of how people actually live, travel and access their estates.
“Galway cannot become a live experiment where communities are expected to just adapt to designs that clearly aren’t working. What’s happening on Ballybane Road shows how projects are being pushed through without enough practical thinking — and without delivering the bus priority measures people were told would come with these changes.”
Noel Thomas said residents have highlighted narrowed exits from estates, tighter junctions and traffic layouts that make everyday movements more difficult — particularly at busy times of day. He also pointed to newly completed junctions already showing tyre-mark damage as evidence that turning space and traffic flow have not been properly accounted for.
“When brand new junctions are marked up by tyres within weeks, that’s not a minor issue — it’s a warning sign. If we are going to ask people to accept disruption, then at the very least we should be seeing meaningful improvements to public transport like proper bus lanes — and in many cases that simply isn’t happening.”
The councillor said many residents feel their concerns are only being heard after works are completed, rather than at design stage, and he warned that public confidence will continue to erode if problems are not addressed quickly.
“Nobody wants safer streets to become a source of daily frustration. Families need to be able to safely get in and out of their estates, delivery vehicles need space to operate, and emergency access cannot be compromised because of rigid design choices.”
Noel Thomas has called on Galway City Council to immediately review Ballybane Road and similar schemes across the city, engage directly with affected communities, and introduce practical adjustments where layouts are proving unworkable.
“Good planning listens to people. Right now, residents feel like they are being told to live with mistakes instead of seeing them fixed — and without even receiving the public transport benefits that were promised.”
Cllr Thomas confirmed he will be raising the matter formally with Council officials and seeking clarity on the approval process behind recent designs, the absence of dedicated bus lanes in certain schemes, and whether post-construction safety audits are being carried out.
