Private car use is predicted to plummet by one-third when the new bus and cycle corridor is opened across the city.

Modelling by consultants for Galway City Council has also forecasted that within the next 15 years, bus use through the city centre zone will leap by nearly a quarter during the early morning commuter rush.

The data is revealed in the documentation published this week by An Bord Pleanála following its decision to approve the BusConnects Galway Cross-City Link Scheme which will give priority to buses, cyclists and pedestrians over motorists.

The new corridors, stretching from University Road to the Dublin Road, spell a disaster for motorists used to traversing the city to get work, home or education.

The modelling has predicted there will be a reduction in general traffic numbers of up to 1,350 vehicles per hour in morning peak hours on the westbound corridor when it opens and an average reduction of 283 vehicles per hour across all road links.

Meanwhile traffic forced to avoid the corridors will mean an increase in traffic on other link roads, anything between 102 and 944 more cars per hour during the morning rush.

Consultants say turning flows at the Kirwan Junction (Menlo Park Hotel) will increase by 7.7% and turning flows at junctions at either end of Quincentenary Bridge will increase by 13.5% and 12.4%.

Because all three junctions are operating at above 100% capacity, the An Bord Pleanála inspector accepted the assertion by Galway City Council that “the impact is considered to be negligible”.

“No junctions are predicted to experience significant effects,” she states.

The benefit that flows from opening up the corridors to encourage more people out of their cars will make it all worth it.

“…Modelling examines the potential for modal shift in the years 2023 and 2038 in relation to the am and pm peak times. The most significant shift is seen in the increase in people using the bus. In the year 2038 during the am peak in corridor 1 westbound it is predicted that sustainable travel modes will see an increase of 23%,” she points out.

Pictured: Map showing routes directly affected by the BusConnects Cross-City Link plan, which involves gving priority to buses, cyclists and pedestrians over a combined road length of 6.7km, stretching from UHG to the Dublin Road.  Map copyright: ”OpenStreetMap” – Copyright and License | OpenStreetMap