TramForward’s David Andrews gives key-note address to Galway Light Rail Webinar

David Andrews, Light Rail Transit Association Local Officer for Bath and Bristol and Chair of Bath and Bristol Area Trams Association (BBATA), gave a presentation to the recent Galway Very Light Rail Webinar organised by the GLUAS Light Rail Committee campaigning for a light rail solution to the traffic problems of the City of Galway in the Republic of Ireland.

The scene-setting talk by David Andrews explained with evidence why trams have been so much more successful than buses at attracting drivers out of their cars and thus reducing congestion and pollution. He also outlined BBATA’s success in getting the West of England Combined Authority (WECA) and the City Council to consider trams for four routes in Bath.

The Webinar, which was fully sold out with over 300 attendees, including 30 politicians, was chaired by Professor Padraic O’Donoghue, Professor of Civil Engineering at the National University of Ireland, Galway, and opened with a recorded message from Irish Transport Minister Eamon Ryan.

Presentations from Andreas Hildebrandt, Press Officer, Freiburger Verkehrs AG, and Ulf Stohmayer, Professor of Geography, NUI Galway (and former native of Freiburg), showed how the German town of Freiburg had made trams the backbone of its public transport and had been highly successful in reducing car blight and encouraging active travel.

Presentations from Nick Mallinson, CEO, Black Country Manufacturing Organisation (BCIMO), Nicola Small, Senior Rail and Very Light Rail Programme Manager, Coventry City Council, and Brad Read, President TIG/m, Chatsworth, California,USA, outlined how innovative Very Light Rail (VLR) systems are making trams a viable solution for smaller cities and towns.

David Andrews said “any small town or city wishing to cut the blight of car congestion and to cut carbon emissions should look at this short webinar to see how to achieve this. I just hope that councillors in Bath and Bristol can watch the Freiburg videos and they will see the truth of our campaign to reinstall trams in Bath and Bristol”

Further information

The Webinar can be watched on Youtube at: Galway Very Light Rail Webinar April 2021 – YouTube
GLUAS Light Rail for Galway Facebook page: GLUAS – Light Rail for Galway | Facebook
Bath and Bristol Area Trams Association: Trams for Bath – the Pros and Cons | Bath Trams
For further information on BBATA, contact David Andrews: https://bathtrams.uk/contact/