An active travel activist has withdrawn a legal challenge against plans to expand Galway Harbour after securing commitments about improved cycling infrastructure.
Galway cycling campaigner Shane Foran withdrew his High Court action challenging planning approval for the Galway Harbour extension project, following an agreement with Galway City Council and Galway Harbour Company.
The agreement comes a week after Foran withdrew a judicial review in the High Court challenging the N6 Galway City Ring Road.
Foran, a software engineer from Rahoon, Galway, agreed to pull his legal opposition to the ring road last week after securing commitments about active travel measures on Galway city roads.
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Similarly, Foran said on Monday he successfully applied to the High Court to strike out his challenge to the expansion of Galway Harbour after he secured commitments from the city council and harbour company about active travel infrastructure.
An Coimisiún Pleanála granted planning permission for an expanded Galway Harbour last April, on the same day it gave the go-ahead for the ring road.
The proposed development includes the reclamation of 27 hectares from the foreshore and seabed to be redeveloped for recreational use and leisure.
The plans include dredging, to create a new approach channel to the commercial quay, and deep-water docking berths, designed to facilitate larger ships including cruise liners.
The construction phase of the harbour expansion was expected to result in 300 heavy-goods vehicle (HGV) movements a day for nine months and would result in a greater daily volume of HGV movement after the expansion.
Foran had taken issue with an alleged failure to consider adverse impacts for vulnerable road users on various Galway city roads where HGV traffic is forecast to increase during construction and when the expanded harbour is operational.
He signed an agreement last Friday with Leonard Cleary, chief executive of Galway City Council, and Brian Sheridan for the Harbour Company. The signing was witnessed by Derek Pender, director of services for the city, as well as Galway West TD John Connolly.
The city council agreed to examine options for better cycling links along Lough Atalia Road linking the harbour and advancing active travel measures on other city roads.
The Harbour Company and city council agreed to commission a feasibility study into an alternative cycling route through the harbour lands that would avoid mixing cyclists with vehicles on Dock Road.
“The Harbour Company has also agreed to a feasibility study into providing a direct walking and cycling route from Renmore to the city . . . through or along the harbour lands,” Foran said.
Foran confirmed he has one remaining judicial review in the High Court challenging An Coimisiún Pleanála’s approval of planning permission for Gort Town Centre Public Realm Enhancement Project.
He will argue that the scheme will make it less safe by removing road space from cyclists on a route through the Co Galway town that feeds traffic to a motorway. It is provisionally listed for the High Court in January.
Foran is a lay litigant and said he did not incur legal costs for solicitors or barristers arising from his challenge to the ring road, or harbour expansion.
He said he paid court duties, including filing affidavits (€20 each) statement of grounds (€190 each) and notice of motions (€60). Other financial costs included postage and travel by train from Galway to Dublin for appearances in court. He estimated the financial outlay was less than €1,000 for both challenges.
“The biggest cost was my time,” said Foran, who added he drafted the legal challenges during annual leave.
He said no order for costs was made by Judge Richard Humphreys at the High Court. Foran said the city council, Galway Harbour and the planning appeals board were responsible for any legal costs they incurred.
