‘Barriers2Galway’ website highlights Galwegians’ street safety concerns

Dave Corley , Curator of the #Barriers2Galway website during a safety campaign at The Browne Roundabout. Credit : Saferstreets4all

As of today (September 30), Over 500 people from Galway have lodged safety concerns via the “Barriers2Galway” website, hoping to make the streets safer for walkers and “wheelers” (those using scooters, buggies, bikes or wheelchairs). 

On 20 September, road safety advocate Dave Corley, curator of #Barriers2Galway, created an online form giving the concerned people of Galway the opportunity to highlight risky crossings in their localities in need of safety works.  “There’s a wild level of demand for this infrastructure. We received 157 submissions in the first weekend alone, which demonstrates the level of hidden demand for safe crossing points across Galway city,” said Dave Corley. 

He added that they are learning about “dangerously narrow and disappearing footpaths, excessively wide junction crossings making safe crossing extremely challenging and a high level of stress for walkers and ‘wheelers’.’’ Dave has also joined with Eoin Ryan, a road safety enthusiast, to form a new community group, “Safer Streets 4All”, to campaign for safer streets for walkers and wheelers in Galway.  

Eoin Ryan noted that “Dave and I have a shared interest in trying to resolve road safety issues in Galway. We created a WhatsApp community last week to collaborate with others who share our concerns and already have 63 people in the community with more joining every day.  “The ultimate goal is to use the information gathered to work with the appropriate stakeholders to get these dangerous locations improved. As a starting point, we identified a handful of locations flagged in the submissions and created mock-ups of what these sites would look like with the addition of the newer, cheaper style of zebra crossings”. 

The recently updated National Transport Authority Cost Management Guidelines advise that newer zebra crossing designs typically cost €20,000, including kerbing, ramp, painting and the road sign. These new rules mean it’s now far cheaper to install zebra crossings.

Lower Salthill resident, Karen Forde Munroe, also called for more zebra crossings. “Crossing safely with two children side by side in a double buggy, and my older child on a scooter, poses a huge challenge for our family on narrow Galway paths. I urge the Council to install scores of zebra crossings to address the serious growing, safety and accessibility concerns for parents on Galway city roads. At the moment it’s stressful, chaotic and dangerous as no one knows where to cross.” 

Galway City West Councillor Alan Curran commented on the campaign. ,“this is a great community-led project which highlights to us in the Council where barriers to access exist across the city.” ” There needs to be a better process for those who walk, wheel, scoot and cycle around their communities to communicate with the council and have their needs met. Barriers2Galway has already been a great source of data for removing kissing gates and it’s exciting to see this new list of priority areas in need of safe crossings.”  

He continued that now they’re aware of the “popular crossing spots, the narrow and broken footpaths, the dangerous junctions with wide sweeping bends”. “What are the small, simple and cheap interventions that can make a massive difference to the safety of the entire community? These are important questions that need our attention.” 

Galway City East Councillor Helen Ogbu also voiced her support. “As a community, we have a responsibility and the power to make Galway’s streets safer for everyone. I wholeheartedly support this initiative and encourage open dialogue about not only pedestrian safety but also the critical need for safe footpaths and bicycle lanes.” ” We can create a more secure and welcoming environment for all residents and visitors in Galway City” , she added.

If anyone interested in getting involved in this campaign , you can join the Saferstreets4all Whatsapp Group by following this link https://chat.whatsapp.com/Efw6O8XhOym3Bb17cp6eBb.