— Galway had “strong axis of east-west travel demand with the potential to shift to public transport”.
— “Potential to justify a Light Rail Transit system in the shorter term” with a plan for higher density housing around stations.
While a lot of cold water has been poured on the idea of a tram line for Galway, hope for a tram or other light railway route has now gone beyond campaigners calling for it. A National Transport Authority-commissioned report published today said that “under the right conditions”, a case could be made for a light raiway in the city.
Ireland’s fourth largest city, with a population of just under 80,000, is seen as one of the most traffic-clogged.
While some say the city can have both improved public transport and a second bypass, which is likely to cost well over €1 billion, others see the city as being at a crossroads, choosing between depending on larger and larger roads or making a significant shift to planning around public transport.
The authors of the report don’t clearly comment on that choice between roads and public transport, but they do make it clear that to justify a light rail route, there needs to be a rethink on planning development around public transport.
The authors of the report, consultants AtkinsRéalis, also outlined that the total estimated cost of a route around 15km long is “approximately €1.23 billion to €1.34 billion”. This is based on 2023 prices and includes “a 30 to 44% risk allowance and further 10% allowance for land costs and 10% for preparation costs.”
The cost is “equivalent to approximately €80 million to €90 million per km”, including the costs of the depot,
purchase of trams, indicative allowance for land costs, and 30% to 44% risk allowance.
The likelihood of both a new bypass and a tram route — both with price tags likely to be in the €1-1.5bn range — being both built in the city in the short term is extremely low.
While there is already online commentary about the route map shown in the report, the authors note that the map is purely indicative, and their work was not to develop a preferred alignment. The outline route is only in the report “to explore key issues and potential feasibility”. Route options would need to be explored in more detail during any subsequent process of options assessment and development”.

AtkinsRéalis said: “This study has shown that there could, under the right conditions, be a case for developing an LRT system in Galway. There is a strong axis of east-west travel demand with the potential to shift to public transport. The assessments have shown that the focus should be on the corridor from Knocknacarra to Roscam, with potential longer-term onward connection to Parkmore via Ardaun.”
AtkinsRéalis said: “The modelling indicates that annual demand of ~7.5 million passengers per annum could be achieved on this corridor in 2043. This is likely to be driven by growth in travel demand in the GMA over the next two decades, meaning that the case for intervention will become stronger later in the strategy period.
“The LRT patronage could be higher if more future land development and growth is located in areas close to the LRT alignment. Our benchmarking of demand on other LRT systems in Ireland and the UK indicates that the demand forecast for Galway is consistent with other cities where conditions have been particularly favourable for LRT,” they said.
“The introduction of policies to support the Climate Action Plan, for example demand management measures in Galway, have the potential to support further mode shift, potentially up to ~13 million passengers per annum. This would increase revenues from fare-paying passengers and enhance the financial sustainability of the future public transport system in the city.”
The report said that Park & Ride will play an important role in enabling car drivers from outside the urban area to shift to enhanced public transport at each end of the route.
AtkinsRéalis said that whilst the study has focused on an initial assessment of the potential feasibility of light rail in Galway, that the “full range of options to deliver enhanced public transport across the city” should also be looked at.
“This study has shown that, under the right conditions, there is strong potential for significant mode shift to public transport in the city,” the consultants said.
The report said the carrying capacity of a light rail route may be needed “towards the end of” the timeline of the new Galway transport strategy. Its authors said: “In the intermediate period, consideration should be given to progressive public transport upgrades, with active consideration of futureproofing of new bus infrastructure to enable future conversion to [light rail transit] operations.”
But light rail could be justified in the shorter term with compact development and the use of Transit Orientated Development, or in other words, higher density housing situated around public transport stops.
AtkinsRéalis said: “There may be potential to justify a Light Rail Transit system in the shorter term, notably if land use development follows the Compact Development / Transit Orientated Development (TOD) approach. By concentrating higher density development along public transport corridors and, ensuring that large scale development sites fully consider the potential to consolidate around a future LRT alignment, there could be a requirement to expedite the delivery of LRT in Galway.”
MORE: Light Rail Feasibility Study for Galway
