Corrib Light Rail
Encyclopedia
Galway
Galway or City of Galway is a city in County Galway, Republic of Ireland. It is the sixth largest and the fastest-growing city in Ireland. It is also the third largest city within the Republic and the only city in the Province of Connacht. Located on the west coast of Ireland, it sits on the...
City and County. The proposed light rail system takes into account existing urban and suburban structures and projected population densities. It requires 28 km (17.4 mi) of track and is expected to cost in the region of €25m per kilometer (€40m per mile, based on the cost of Dublin's Luas system). The actual design of the track would minimise disruptions to traffic during construction. The construction of the total track would therefore cost about €700m.
Corrib Light Rail would cater to different groups of transport users including commuters, the elderly, and people with disabilities. The system could also be used for freight transport.
Proposed route
The initial design would be for a two line system, one east-west from Oranmore to Knocknacarra and another north-south route from Ceannt Station to Moycullen. This route would allow for maximum connectivity with existing and future transport services, including the Western rail corridor and commuter rail links to Oranmore, Athenry and Tuam.Likelihood of implementation
The Green PartyGreen Party (Ireland)
The Green Party is a green political party in Ireland. It was founded as the Ecology Party of Ireland in 1981 by Dublin teacher Christopher Fettes. The party became the Green Alliance in 1983 and in 1987 was renamed to its current title in English...
were the first political party to propose this solution for Galway in the late nineties. In June 2006 Michael D. Higgins
Michael D. Higgins
Michael Daniel Higgins is the ninth and current President of Ireland, having taken office on 11 November 2011 following victory in the 2011 Irish presidential election. Higgins is an Irish politician, poet, sociologist, author and broadcaster. Higgins was President of the Labour Party until his...
(a TD
Teachta Dála
A Teachta Dála , usually abbreviated as TD in English, is a member of Dáil Éireann, the lower house of the Oireachtas . It is the equivalent of terms such as "Member of Parliament" or "deputy" used in other states. The official translation of the term is "Deputy to the Dáil", though a more literal...
for Galway West, and member of the Labour Party
Labour Party (Ireland)
The Labour Party is a social-democratic political party in the Republic of Ireland. The Labour Party was founded in 1912 in Clonmel, County Tipperary, by James Connolly, James Larkin and William X. O'Brien as the political wing of the Irish Trade Union Congress. Unlike the other main Irish...
) asked the Minister for Transport, Martin Cullen
Martin Cullen
Martin Cullen is a former Irish Fianna Fáil politician. He was a Teachta Dála for the Waterford constituency. Cullen was a member of Seanad Éireann and served as Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government , Minister for Transport and Minister for Social and Family Affairs and...
, for funding to carry out a feasibility study for the Corrib Light Rail. In response, the Minister stated that the Transport 21
Transport 21
Transport 21 is an Irish infrastructure plan, announced in November 2005. It aims to greatly expand Ireland's transport network. A cost estimate of €34 billion was attached to the plan at the time....
plan did not envisage light rail plans for Galway City such as the Corrib Light Rail, but that it did aim to improve bus services in the city and to improve commuter services from Oranmore.
However, in January 2007, the Green Party
Green Party (Ireland)
The Green Party is a green political party in Ireland. It was founded as the Ecology Party of Ireland in 1981 by Dublin teacher Christopher Fettes. The party became the Green Alliance in 1983 and in 1987 was renamed to its current title in English...
promised that, if they get elected to the next Government, they would push for light rail systems to be built in both Galway and Cork, as well as having substantial extensions of the Luas
Luas
Luas , also promoted in the development stage as the Dublin Light Rail System, is a tram or light rail system serving Dublin, the first such system in the decades since the closure of the last of the Dublin tramways. In 2007, the system carried 28.4 million passengers, a growth of 10% since...
in Dublin.http://www.greenparty.ie/en/news/latest_news/green_party_commits_to_new_light_rail_projects_in_cork_galway_and_dublin The agreed Programme for Government 2007-2012 includes a commitment to light rail feasibility studies in Cork, Limerick, Galway and Waterford (p. 15).http://www.taoiseach.gov.ie/attached_files/Pdf%20files/Eng%20Prog%20for%20Gov.pdf However, the Green Party's proposal is not the same as the Corrib Light Rail, instead having just one line running from Barna
Barna
Bearna is a Gaeltacht village west of Galway city in County Galway, Ireland, on the R336 regional road. Once a satellite of Galway city, the village is now rapidly becoming one of its suburbs. Officially the village is regarded as Irish speaking and is therefore a constituent part of the regions...
to Oranmore
Oranmore
Oranmore is a village in County Galway on the outskirts of Galway city in Ireland. With its major housing developments, Oranmore is rapidly becoming a part of Galway's commuter or suburban belt...
, via Eyre Square
Eyre Square
John F. Kennedy Memorial Park is an inner-city public park in Galway, Ireland, formerly officially named Eyre Square and still widely known by that name...
, Galway Racecourse and Galway Airport
Galway Airport
Galway Airport is located at Carnmore, north of Galway City, County Galway, Ireland and is managed by Corrib Airport Limited.On 31 October 2011 the airport's sole remaining operator Aer Arann ceased commercial operations at the airport...
. Map In 2007 a group of Galway citizens representing various political parties, agencies, NGOs, businesses and institutions got together to draw up concrete proposals for a 'LUAS for Galway' (GLUAS
Gluas
GLUAS is a proposed tram or light rail system for Galway city, similar to the Luas found in Dublin. GLUAS is estimated to cost €200 million, less than €10 million per kilometre...
).
Furthermore, as part of their 2007 election manifesto
Manifesto
A manifesto is a public declaration of principles and intentions, often political in nature. Manifestos relating to religious belief are generally referred to as creeds. Manifestos may also be life stance-related.-Etymology:...
(announced in April 2007), the Fianna Fáil
Fianna Fáil
Fianna Fáil – The Republican Party , more commonly known as Fianna Fáil is a centrist political party in the Republic of Ireland, founded on 23 March 1926. Fianna Fáil's name is traditionally translated into English as Soldiers of Destiny, although a more accurate rendition would be Warriors of Fál...
party (currently the largest party in the Dáil and the Seanad) have announced they will conduct feasibility studies
Feasibility study
Feasibility studies aim to objectively and rationally uncover the strengths and weaknesses of the existing business or proposed venture, opportunities and threats as presented by the environment, the resources required to carry through, and ultimately the prospects for success. In its simplest...
for bringing light rail systems to Ireland
Republic of Ireland
Ireland , described as the Republic of Ireland , is a sovereign state in Europe occupying approximately five-sixths of the island of the same name. Its capital is Dublin. Ireland, which had a population of 4.58 million in 2011, is a constitutional republic governed as a parliamentary democracy,...
's 'provincial cities' - Cork, Galway, Limerick
Limerick
Limerick is the third largest city in the Republic of Ireland, and the principal city of County Limerick and Ireland's Mid-West Region. It is the fifth most populous city in all of Ireland. When taking the extra-municipal suburbs into account, Limerick is the third largest conurbation in the...
and Waterford
Waterford
Waterford is a city in the South-East Region of Ireland. It is the oldest city in the country and fifth largest by population. Waterford City Council is the local government authority for the city and its immediate hinterland...
. This has further increased the possibility of light rail in Galway, as well as other Irish cities. http://www.thenextsteps.ie/developingtransport
Both the Green Party and Fianna Fáil (and the Progressive Democrats) have entered into a coalition after the election, and as part of their 'programme for government', they will "conduct feasibility studies to be completed in two years into Luas-style light rail transit systems in Cork, Galway, Limerick and Waterford," and act on the results of the studies. http://www.greenparty.ie/en/library/draft_programme_for_government