- Galway Chamber CEO Karen Ronan welcomed the ring road’s critical infrastructure designation.
- Ronan stated the ring road is a project of national economic importance.
- The ring road is part of a wider transport strategy including Bus Connects and rail.
- Ronan stated the infrastructure is complementary, not competing.
- The project is expected to alleviate Galway traffic.
Galway Chamber CEO Karen Ronan has welcomed the inclusion of the Galway City Ring Road on the list of critical infrastructure projects, stating it is a “hugely important” piece of infrastructure. Speaking on RTÉ’s News at One, Ronan stated the ring road is a significant national project and its inclusion recognises it is not just a Galway issue but a project of national economic importance. She stated there has been huge engagement around the project with Minister Jack Chambers and the Department of Transport.
Ronan stated the ring road is part of a much bigger transport strategy for Galway that includes public transport, Bus Connects, active travel and investment in rail. Critics have argued that priority should go to public transport rather than road building, but Ronan stated this piece of infrastructure is complementary, not competing. She stated it is about removing unnecessary through traffic from the city and allowing public transport to operate more reliably.
The long-mooted ring road project is expected to alleviate Galway traffic. Ronan stated the response to environmental concerns is that it is about getting the right traffic in the right place and reducing congestion-related emissions.
Karen Ronan, CEO of Galway Chamber, shared, “The inclusion of the Ring Road on this list really recognises that it isn’t just a Galway issue, it’s a project of national economic importance.”
