Park & Ride sites on the N6 and on the Tuam Road are still no closer to becoming a reality, despite extensive leg work by the National Roads Authority.

In an update on the five planned sites around the city by the Park & Ride Development Office in the NTA, it has been revealed that no progress has been made in negotiations to acquire a site where the M6 merges into the N6 dual carriageway at the Junction 19 Oranmore exit.

The NTA told Galway West TD Catherine Connolly that the site selection process has led to two emerging site options at the Junction 9 interchange.

Work carried out includes topographical and drone surveys, an archaeology study, an ecology and environmental report, a planning search, zoning check and Catchment-based Flood Risk Assessment and Management (CFRAM) maps acquired to analyse flood risk.

A proposed bus route from the location is in preliminary design stage while a preliminary design for a bus priority corridor has been drawn up by Transport Infrastructure Ireland (TII).

However, the main piece of the puzzle has yet to be slotted into place to make the 550-car site a reality.

“Negotiations to date with the relevant landowner have not been successful in reaching agreement to acquire either of the sites – the NTA are reviewing next steps on this issue,” a spokesperson told the Independent TD for Galway West and Leas-Cheann Comhairle.

Progress has been slow for a site on the N83 – formerly the N17 – close to Loughgeorge and north of Claregalway which is expected to accommodate 320 spaces is further behind.

That site selection process has led to two emerging site options on the eastern side of the N83 and the same level of planning surveys completed.

But negotiations to buy the sites do not appear to have gone far, with no mention of communication with the landowners.

“The N83 bus priority design is at an early stage of development,” admitted the NTA.

No progress has been made on proposed sites on the N59 Clifden Road, N84 Headford Road and the Coast Road to Barna.

“Work on these three sites will commence at a future date as they are highly dependent upon the delivery of bus priority along the relevant connecting corridors.”

Deputy Connolly said when she was mayor in 2004, she and other councillors ensured that the new City Development Plan contained the objective to roll out Park & Ride on both the east and west side of the city.

“Unfortunately, that never happened. Now, 20 years later we see some progress, but only on one side of the city. Incredibly, we are told that work on the remaining proposed sites – the N59, N84 and the Barna corridor – will commence at some future date.

“It is past time for an integrated, multi-pronged, sustainable solution to Galway’s traffic congestion, to include Park & Ride and provision of light rail to reduce dependency on cars.”