Vulnerable Road Users in Galway*
| Age Class |
Total
|
% Equiv. of 1996 population
|
| Total population of the city |
57,241
|
100.00%
|
| Children Age 0-14 |
11,934
|
20.80%
|
| Children in Secondary School |
5,947
|
10.38%
|
|
Third Level Students
|
12,289
|
21.47%
|
| Persons over 65 |
4,983
|
8.7%
|
*Data from 1996 Census and Atlas of
Galway, secondary school figures are for 1998, third level for 1999/2000
Travel by vulnerable modes in Galway
city
The 1996 census lists following proportions
for trips to school, college and work by the vulnerable modes in
Galway city (foot, cycle and motor cycle)
- Travel by vulnerable modes: Trips to School
- Children Aged 5-12: 37.4
% - Students Aged 13-18: 47.7
%
- Children Aged 5-12: 37.4
- Travel by vulnerable modes: Trips to College
- Students Aged 19 and over:
81.5 %
- Students Aged 19 and over:
- Travel by vulnerable modes: Trips to Work
- Persons at work aged 15 and over: 30.0 %
Parking in Galway
-
There are at least 10 “no bicycles” signs in Eyre Square, there
is one municipal bike rack. It has eleven spaces
and is of a “wheel gripper” design that can damage bicycles
and leaves them vulnerable to theft or vandalism. In a
1998 submission the GCC requested it’s removal, in 2001 it’s
still there. - Recently the Corporation installed a different, but still unapproved, rack design in
the Maingurd St, Spanish Arch areas, these allow the frame to
be locked but do not properly support upright bicycles which fall
over. The design has also been identified as a trip hazard to
pedestrians.
- There are 1,000 “on street” and 3,000 “off street” car parking
spaces in Galway city.
Galway’s Roads Network
- Galway Corporation has imposed road and junction types with
a design speed of 60 mph or higher at locations where the stated
speed limit is 30 mph and where there is mixed traffic of all
modes.
There are currently 13 multilane roundabouts in the City, the
accident rate for cyclists on these roundabouts is 14 to 16
times that of motorists. The accident rate for motorcyclists
is only slightly lower than that of cyclists. A national
study on Irish roundabouts from 1987 raises serious reservations
about using them where high numbers of two wheelers are expected.
A Foras Forbatha report in 1979 raised the issue of the
safety of cyclists in Galway and the roundabouts that were then
proposed for the city. Galway corporation was fully aware
of these issues when they built a further five roundabouts on
the new Western Distributor road. More roundabouts are
planned for the Seamus Quirke rd.- Even within predominantly residential areas Galway Corporation
has a policy of actually specifying the use of road junction designs
that unnecessarily endanger and inconvenience pedestrians and
cyclists.
- It is corporation policy to impose “cycleways” of a design
that results in a baseline 50% increase in the rate of car/bicycle
collisions. (Rising to a tenfold (x10) increase in some circumstances).
- There are only 14 signal controlled junctions Galway City, not
all of these signalised junctions include pedestrian phases. There
are only 10 signalised pedestrian crossings
- At some specific locations in the city any cyclist who attempts
to use the “cycleways” in the manner directed by the accompanying
signs can expect to incur a tenfold (x10) increase in the risk
of car/bicycle collision. - There are no fixed speed cameras anywhere in Galway City or
County. In fact to our knowledge there are no fixed speed
cameras anywhere in the west of Ireland.
Galway Corporation has an established practice of refusing
to implement road safety measures such as traffic calming even
when specifically requested by local residents.- There are 130 miles of roads in Galway City, up until 2000 there
was only one road (Murrough Avenue) that had any (2) municipally
provided speed ramps.
- At least one major cycling tour operator refuses to bring groups
to Galway City by bicycle on grounds of road danger.
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