A major overhaul of the Dublin Road in Tuam is being planned to allow for better infrastructure for pedestrians and cyclists – and a safer route to schools.

A team of consultants will be appointed in the coming weeks to design an Active Travel scheme on the R332 through the town.

Galway County Council and National Transport Authority want a technical engineering consultancy to design the scheme to begin at the Vicar Street junction, near the town square in the north, to Tuam Stars GAA sportsgrounds in the south.

This route is approximately 1.2km and links the town centre with several schools, sports facilities and residential estates.

“The project will deliver engineering measures to support sustainable travel and will incorporate a ‘Schools Street’ scheme, in line with the Local Transport Plan for Tuam 2023-2029,” according to the brief.

It will involve the reallocation of road space for cycling, wheeling and walking.

“This route is relatively wide, and this makes reallocation of road space quite feasible,” the brief said.

The Council and NTA want to reallocate space, to allow for new engineering measures without compulsory purchase order (CPO).

They said some land acquisition “may be required” at localised tighter spots to deliver the route but if this was needed the Council’s preference “is for those lands to be acquired by agreement”.

They want pedestrian and cycle facilities improved at all junctions along the route, and the “design will need to tie into the existing infrastructure or any proposed footpaths and cycle tracks in this area of Tuam”.

The authorities said that the area was “extremely congested at school times”, and there are currently no designated cycling facilities on the R332 Dublin Road.

“As the road and its junctions are quite wide, vehicles have priority along the route, and it, therefore, is not an attractive route for walking, wheeling or cycling. It is a car-dominated route,” the brief said.

Existing footpaths on the route need to be improved, the authorities said.

“A review of the existing crossing facilities is required with a view to see if they need to be upgraded and if additional pedestrian crossings are required,” it said.

Several businesses are located along a one-way section of the road, between the Vicar Street (town centre) junction and Frank Stockwell Road junction, including AIB Bank, Bank of Ireland, Supermac’s, The Tuam Herald, St. Jarlath’s Credit Union, professional services offices, retail shops, hair salon and pharmacy.

There are several schools located on Dublin Road, including Trinity Primary School and High Cross College (south campus) on the one-way street, and on the two-way section of Dublin Road are Educate Together National School and Archbishop MacHale College.

St. Oliver’s Special School, on Frank Stockwell Road, is approximately 100m from Dublin Road.

“There are proposals from Trinity Primary School and Educate Together National School to amalgamate campus and relocate their access junction. These proposals have not yet been submitted for planning, however coordination with the R332 Dublin Tuam Road Active Travel scheme will be required,” the Council said.

Other organisations in the area are a family resource centre, TUSLA, community nursing unit, a Centra shop, as well as GAA, soccer and rugby pitches at the eastern end of the proposed scheme.

The Council said the proposed new scheme was necessary to provide “a direct and attractive route to the town centre that allows people to prioritise active travel modes”.

It would also provide enhanced connectivity between the southeast of Tuam and the town centre for people walking, wheeling and cycling to encourage increased walking and cycling trips; incorporate a school street to support active travel among children; improve safety of pedestrians and cyclists near the school; and reduce reliance on car trips.

This tender is to complete stages two to four, which includes feasibility report, preliminary design and getting it to stage that it can proceed to the next step, which is detailed design and procurement, before it proceeds to construction.

Pictured: Archbishop MacHale College…along Active Travel route.