Galway is seventh-worst city in Europe for car traffic congestion
As seen in the Connacht Tribune article by Stephen Corrigan
Car traffic congestion in Galway is quickly rebounding to pre-pandemic levels, with commuters spending up to 94 hours caught on the city’s gridlocked arteries last year.
According to data compiled by INRIX, a world-leader in mobility data, Galway is the seventh-worst city in Europe for congestion, an 84% increase on its position in 2021.
The data shows that Galway places in the worst 50 cities in the world for congestion – taking 39th place, with Dublin the only other Irish city placing higher at Number 12.
While the figures show that car traffic has not fully returned to pre-Covid levels, the 2022 figures came within 13% of 2019 congestion rates.
This was despite vast numbers continuing to work from home last year, a worrying trend according to the local People Before Profit representative Adrian Curran.
In Cork, Limerick and Dublin, there had been a more lasting effect, showing decreases of 20%, 26% and 29% respectively, he said.
Mr Curran said Galway commuters were being robbed of their time, money and health by Galway’s traffic problems and said the continuing failure to invest in alternative transport modes meant there would be little change in the immediate future. “Galway’s traffic woes are not news to anyone who has spent time in the city.”
“Unfortunately, there seems to be little sign of the things changing in Galway.”