An epidemic of red-light running will cost the life of a pedestrian or cyclist unless it’s acted on, a City Joint Policing Committee (JPC) ha been told.

Members of the JPC reported widespread disregard from city drivers who were “driving at speed” through red lights, risking the lives of vulnerable road users.

Galway City Community Network representative on the JPC Tommy Flaherty, who has raised the issue on several occasions previously, said he had repeatedly witnessed “any amount of cars going through red lights” on the Headford Road at Galway Shopping Centre and Tom Hogan Motors.

This was after it was revealed that the number of motorists detected by gardaí driving past red lights in the first six months of 2023 had actually decreased by one on the same period last year – 56 were found to be committing the offence.

Cllr Frank Fahy (FG) described the problem as “an accident waiting to happen”, noting that he had recently nearly been struck by a driver breaking a red light.

“I was half way through a junction on the Headford Road, on a green light, when someone drove through at speed.

“They’re not even coming through on amber – they’re coming through on red and at speed,” said Cllr Fahy, adding that CCTV cameras should be placed at junctions to identify those breaking the lights.

Senator Pauline O’Reilly (Green) also said the use of cameras should be examined, adding that there was fear among vulnerable road users that they could not trust traffic lights to cross the road.

“It is a real challenge for pedestrians and cyclists, and it means much less freedom for children to go to school or the playground when there’s a constant fear with them not being able to rely on traffic lights,” she said.

For more, read this week’s Galway City Tribune.

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