Egis, Ireland's largest multi-disciplinary consultancy, engineering and operations firm, has welcomed the granting of planning approval for BusConnects Galway’s Dublin Road project.
The project, which has been approved by An Coimisiún Pleanála, was carefully designed by Egis for Galway City Council in conjunction with the National Transport Authority, to meet the needs of the city’s growing population and contribute to its sustainable development goals.
Egis’ extensive experience and expertise in urban transport and bus infrastructure, both in Ireland and globally through its parent company, Egis Group, was deployed to achieve best practice design and environmental standards, which assisted in ensuring that the project could secure planning approval.
It was also crucial in overcoming the unique challenges of delivering a much-needed public transport, pedestrian and cycling corridor in an urban and sensitive environment.
The planning application for the Dublin Road project was submitted by Galway City Council to An Coimisiún Pleanála in February of this year. Planning consent was received at the end of September.
Once completed, the BusConnects Galway Dublin Road project will be a major step forward in improving public transport connectivity in Galway. The continuous 3.9km route will run along the length of the R338 Dublin Road from east of the Moneenageisha Junction to the Doughiska Junction.
This project is part of the Galway Transport Strategy and is being funded by the National Transport Authority. It will deliver additional dedicated bus lanes in both directions and enhanced bus stops, providing for more reliable and more comfortable journeys for commuters.
It will also deliver new active travel infrastructure, including segregated cycling lanes and upgraded pedestrian facilities, which will allow for safer journeys for walkers, wheelers and cyclists.
The Dublin Road route will tie in directly with the Galway BusConnects: Cross City Link scheme at the western edge and will form a key part of the city's expanding public transport network. It will also connect other existing and future active travel routes to the city centre as part of Galway’s growing walking and cycling network.
It will connect neighbourhoods on the outer edges of the city with the main transport network, providing a crucial link between these areas and central transit hubs and making commuting by bus more feasible for all commuters, including those that may need to transfer between buses.
As part of its decision, An Coimisiún Pleanála also granted consent for Galway City Council to compulsorily purchase a number of properties along the route.
The insights gained from non-statutory consultations on the emerging preferred route were invaluable in allowing Egis’ team to respond with creativity to meet all stakeholder needs.
The project is being developed near to sensitive habitats, which required careful mitigation measures to minimise the environmental impact. By incorporating sustainable drainage systems, Egis’ design will seek to manage stormwater efficiently to minimise flood risk while attenuation tanks are included to handle surface water run-off and increase climate resilience.
The project’s design also incorporates features that will benefit local biodiversity and boost social cohesion, ensuring that the development will enhance the natural and urban environment.
As part of the project’s commitment to sustainability, Egis also focused on a proposal that would minimise the environmental impact during construction and operation, ensuring that the route delivers long-term social and environmental gains for the residents of Galway.
