"One billion Euro has been made available for the construction of this road. Sadly, if we did it 20 years ago, it would have been €200m and that's the reality of all of what has gone on here." ~Seán Canney TD. The same TD blamed "objectors" for 20 years of inflation. www.rte.ie/news/connach...

The "€200 million 10-year" #GalwayTransportStrategy was adopted by @galwaycity.ie in 2016. What has actually been delivered in the past decade? And what were the outcomes in terms of car dependence and travel behaviour?

Is there a single major Ring Road or Bypass project in the country that has led to modal switch from cars to public transport and active travel? Just one will do.

Citizens of Ireland: our country is not prepared for the worsening climate emergency, decisive action is urgently required. An Coimisiún Pleanála: here is the latest major road expansion project that we have approved, our growing economy requires nothing less.

'Organisers say incremental change is no longer enough. They want firm commitments—especially urgent progress on a preferred route for a light rail system for Galway. “Our members want ambitious solutions to chronic traffic problems. This event will show which candidates are ready to lead.”'

On @news.rte.ie @rteradio1.bsky.social just now, Garda Insp Adrian Queeney was asked *why* pedestrian deaths increased in recent years. He offered no explanation, but did recommend that pedestrians "light up", wear high visibility clothing and use footpaths where available. #VictimBlaming or what?

2013: CO2 396 ppm. 2026: 421 ppm. A 6% increase in just over a decade.

"One of the most important issues faced by the people of Claregalway is the traffic."

A story repeated all over Galway. Residents terribly concerned about traffic congestion, in a city where there are too many cars, car dependence is rampant, and space for active travel is routinely used for car traffic and/or car parking.

"Let's get cars off the streets" by building a second ring road that will not only make driving easier but which is also *designed* to facilitate growth in car traffic. This is a "common sense" proposal, apparently.

Approved by @galwaycity.ie. Note the date.

Place your bets. #ClimateEmergency #ThePeopleWantTar www.galwaybayfm.ie/galway-bay-f...

Many years from now, will it be known as the Saint Pat's Riot?

🤣

that’s quite a short flight, even for twenty five quid

'Cuts to government funds for climate-related research are taking a huge toll at academic institutions like Penn, greatly restricting the ability of faculty, researchers & students to study Earth’s climate. At a time when climate change is at crisis proportions, nothing could be more irresponsible.'

Motornornativity means that every footpath is a potential parking space.

Canney was asked about pedestrian safety on Galway Bay FM just now. The very first thing he mentioned in response was high vis vests. Shortly afterwards he described modern cars as being like "mobile cinemas", ie full of distracting devices. "Personal responsibility" is key, he said.

Give us a break.

Suitcases? 🤔

Rollin' rollin' rollin'

⭐Knocknacarra Energy Efficiency Evening ⏰6:00pm Tuesday 31 March 📍Knocknacarra Community Centre Get practical information on home energy upgrades, grants, funding supports, and ways to make your home warmer and more energy efficient. More info [email protected]

Bonus points for "ersatz".

Who wants to tell them?

A remarkable photo from #NoKings in DTLA from Connor Sheets of @latimes.com www.latimes.com/california/l...

'China remains the top producer of aluminum, accounting for around ~60% of the global supply (~43Mt in 2024). India & Russia produce around 4Mt. The UAE is the fifth-largest producer. Aluminum remains a key component of construction and transport equipment, as well as renewable energy projects.'

READ: “While I know that driving is a necessity for some, for me, it has been 1st and foremost a habit. My experience of driving less has reminded me that when we can, it’s worth questioning our habits…because what’s comfortable doesn’t necessarily make us feel happy or free.” How change can start.

unfortunately I lost it at this extremely stupid New Yorker cartoon

This was a beautiful read & captures my own #CarFree life brilliantly. Health, wealth & happiness for me is on 2 wheels or 2 feet #UrbanTruth

"...for me at least, driving is a time-consuming and meaningless experience. In fact, the word 'experience' is a stretch – I’ve started to wonder if it is more like the absence of an experience."

You should read this. It’s excellent communication & story-telling. “I’m driving less. I don’t want to see the world through a driver’s eyes any more. Before I began driving less, I had long had a melancholic sense that the city lifestyle I lived was cut off...” #UrbanTruth From @irishtimes.com

Beautifully written essay by Joanna Marsden.

'It strikes me that the intrinsic qualities of walking & cycling come naturally to young children. They have no desire to divide the day into journeys & destinations. If I say to my sons, "We're late for jiujitsu!", they still slow their pace to run their hands over railings or pick up a pine cone.'

@billbrowder.bsky.social warned in 2022 that, by engaging with Oleg Deripaska's associates and lobbying for a sanctions exemption for Aughinish, Ireland was guilty of hypocrisy when also talking about human rights, justice and national security.

My cartoon in today's @irishexaminer.bsky.social

"The post truth age has become the post satire era." ~ @darthputinkgb.bsky.social

An Irish Atlantic rainforest stole my heart away 17 years ago, and this video by Eoin Reardon gives some idea why. A chuisle mo chroí. youtu.be/EavXzC_y3NM?

@dawphin.bsky.social 😯

In Ireland, the process of allowing this kind of unsustainable development is euphemistically called "Planning".

'It was also confirmed to Dep Connolly that “further increases in the fleet size are planned” to support the NTA’s redesigned bus network for the City. This is intended to be implemented as part of the #BusConnects #Galway Network Redesign project and to take full effect in 2028.'

Exhibit A "These tax figures indicate there is empty space zoned Residential in the city to build almost 3,300 homes, or 4,700 units if high density housing is stipulated by planners."

When the orange fuhrer is dead and gone, hopefully soon, perhaps William H. Macy can take the lead role in the subsequent movie.

Once upon a normal time, courts could trust that US government agencies were acting in good faith, almost as a matter of deference or default. Trump and his mafia cronies have changed all that.

Jevons Paradox?

Supposedly "moderate" climate change can still produce extreme sectoral or regional impacts because outcomes depend on spatial distributions, variable interactions and "tail risks", not global averages. Climate action requires managing plausible worst cases, not just mitigating temperature increase.

🤣

"Can planners miss certain details that we, the public, need to bring to their attention? Of course. Are we entitled, as citizens, to object to certain elements of a development if we think it’s contrary to planning guidelines? It is within our right, and a right that we need to defend & maintain."

@brendanmulligan56.bsky.social A remarkable phenomenon is that the most diehard champions of a second ring road regard the past 30 years as being wasted *for them*. 'Think of all the things that could have been achieved with an outer bypass,' they might say, as if the first ring road didn't exist.