Regional NTA offices would help deliver BusConnects and active travel in Galway – Kyne / Chabhródh oifigí réigiúnacha NTA le BusConnects agus taisteal gníomhach i nGaillimh a sheachadadh – Kyne

The National Transport Authority (NTA) needs to set up regional offices to give effective communication and help manage projects in the west of Ireland, a Fine Gael Senator has said.

Senator Seán Kyne, Fine Gael’s candidate in the Galway West bye-election, made the call to help improve active travel in Galway, as well as oversee the delivery of BusConnects for the city.

He said: “The NTA does vital work in developing and overseeing public transport infrastructure across the country, but it is centralised in Dublin and that creates a real disconnect with regions.

“Councillors, TDs and community groups in Galway and across the west are finding it increasingly difficult to engage meaningfully with the NTA on projects which affect their areas.

“Regional offices would transform how the NTA operates on the ground.

“Having a local presence in Galway would mean faster responses to queries, a deeper understanding of regional needs and a genuine engagement with elected representatives who are accountable to the communities the projects serve.

“Galway is a growing city and county with complex and evolving transport needs. The people of Galway deserve a NTA which is accessible and responsive to elected representatives. Regional offices would send a clear signal that public and active transport planning isn’t just a conversation that has to happen in Dublin.”

Senator Kyne says it is important to encourage as many people as possible to use active travel around Galway, as well as making sure people have access to a BusConnects project which works for them.

He warned however, that the effective delivery of the Ring Road along with BusConnects and a proposal for Galway’s light rail (Gluas) would require sustained oversight that a Dublin-centric NTA can’t adequately provide.

“The delivery phase is where projects can live or die, and it is essential for the NTA and other agencies to be on the ground, not managing Galway’s future from Dublin city centre,” he said.

Senator Kyne committed that if elected to Dáil Éireann he will make the establishment of regional NTA offices a priority commitment and would use his experience as being a Minister at the Cabinet table to drive the case at the highest levels of Government.

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Ní mór don Údarás Náisiúnta Iompair (NTA) oifigí réigiúnacha a bhunú chun cumarsáid éifeachtach a chinntiú agus chun cabhrú le tionscadail in iarthar na hÉireann a bhainistiú, a dúirt Seanadóir de chuid Fhine Gael.

Rinne an Seanadóir Seán Kyne, iarrthóir Fhine Gael d’fhothoghchán Ghaillimh Thiar, an glaoch seo chun cabhrú le taisteal gníomhach a fheabhsú i nGaillimh, chomh maith le maoirsiú a dhéanamh ar sheachadadh BusConnects don chathair.

Dúirt sé, “Déanann an NTA obair ríthábhachtach ag forbairt agus ag maoirsiú bonneagair iompair phoiblí ar fud na tíre, ach tá sé láraithe i mBaile Átha Cliath agus cruthaíonn sé sin easpa ceangail cheart leis na réigiúin.”

“Tá sé ag éirí níos deacra do Chomhairleoirí, do Theachtaí Dála agus do ghrúpaí pobail i nGaillimh agus ar fud an iarthair dul i dteagmháil go bríoch leis an NTA maidir le tionscadail a mbíonn tionchar acu ar a gceantair féin.

“Dhíláreodh oifigí réigiúnacha an bealach a fheidhmíonn an NTA ar an talamh.”

“D’fhágfadh láithreacht áitiúil i nGaillimh go mbeadh freagraí níos gasta ar cheisteanna, tuiscint níos doimhne ar riachtanais réigiúnacha, agus rannpháirtíocht dhílis le hionadaithe tofa atá cuntasach do na pobail a mbaineann tairbhe as na tionscadail seo.”

“Is cathair agus contae atá ag fás í an Ghaillimh, le riachtanais iompair atá casta agus ag athrú de shíor. Tá NTA atá inrochtana agus freagrúil d’ionadaithe tofa tuillte ag muintir na Gaillimhe. Thabharfadh oifigí réigiúnacha comhartha soiléir nach comhrá é pleanáil iompair phoiblí agus ghníomhaigh nach mór a tharlú i mBaile Átha Cliath amháin.”

Deir an Seanadóir Kyne go bhfuil sé tábhachtach oiread daoine agus is féidir a spreagadh chun taisteal gníomhach a úsáid timpeall na Gaillimhe, chomh maith le cinntiú go bhfuil teacht ag daoine ar thionscadal BusConnects a oibríonn dóibh.

Thug sé rabhadh, áfach, go dteastódh maoirsiú marthanach chun Bóthar an Chiorcaid a sheachadadh go héifeachtach, mar aon le BusConnects agus moladh do iarnród éadrom na Gaillimhe (Gluas), maoirsiú nach féidir le NTA atá bunaithe i mBaile Átha Cliath a sholáthar go sásúil.

Is le linn na céime seachadta a n-éiríonn nó a dteipeann ar thionscadail, agus tá sé ríthábhachtach go mbeadh an NTA agus gníomhaireachtaí eile ar an talamh, in ionad a bheith ag bainistiú thodhchaí na Gaillimhe ó lár chathair Bhaile Átha Cliath.”

Gheall an Seanadóir Kyne, má thoghtar go Dáil Éireann é, go mbeidh bunú oifigí réigiúnacha an NTA ina phríomhthosaíocht aige agus go n-úsáidfidh sé an taithí atá aige mar Aire ag bord an Rialtais chun an cás a bhrú chun cinn ag na leibhéil is airde Rialtais.