Study finds Galway light rail line feasible | Metro Report International

IRELAND: The National Transport Authority has published a study into the feasibility of building a light rail line in Galway.

The AtkinsRéalis study looked at the overall feasibility of conventional light rail or new very light rail technology to help develop a renewed multimodal transport strategy for the Galway metropolitan area. This will include advice on active travel, bus and rail services, roads and demand management.

The study looks at potential routes, but not specific routes. It was found that there is a high demand for east-west travel with the potential for a shift to public transport, and under the right conditions there may be a need for a light rail system. The report said the focus should be on a corridor from Knocknacarra in the west to Roskam in the east, with a potential extension to Parkmore, which would increase the line length to approximately 14.8km.

The project, nicknamed “Gluas” from the Irish word for “movement” and related to Dublin’s Luas (light rail) tram, is estimated to cost between €1.23 billion and €1.34 billion.

An annual demand of 7.5 million passengers per year could be reached on the corridor in 2043, with demand management measures providing the opportunity to increase this figure to 13 million passengers per year and transit-oriented development increasing the chances of faster progress worksg.

In the short term, the report says, gradual upgrades to public transport, including new future-proof bus infrastructure, should be considered to support the long-term transition to light rail.