European city case studies 24 light rail(tram) special edition

EUROPEAN CITY CASE STUDIES OPERATING LIGHT RAIL/TRAM (POPULATIONS NOT SIGNIFICANTLY GREATER THAN 100,000 PERSONS)

Joseph Francis Kelly , on behalf of Galway Residents , July 2015

On behalf of the residents of Galway who are affected by the proposed N6 transport Road Proposal , I would like to present to you 24 European City Case Studies.

The Case Study Profiles highlight 24 cities in Europe that are not greater than 100,000 persons deeming these cities as Small European Cities in accordance with the OECD Classification of Cities in Europe .

(Lewis Dijkstra and Hugo Poelman,2006)

The Subject area under concentration which is directly related to comparative presentation is also within the Small City parameters established by the OECD ; Galway, with a City Population of 77,000 and a dependent county population of 173,541(Exclusive of City population) , sprawl due to one off housing highlights an indifference in comparison to European Planning Trends , however the pull factors of the Regional Service hub and it’s land uses remain the same, as is the case of Galway’s existence and compared cities on Mainland Europe, as the pull factors are indifferent, the similar issues of Transport, Sustainability, Environmental Concern, Economical Balance, Resource Depletion and European Initiatives/Directives prompt Galway’s future to align with Mainland Europe and Common Union members in the interest of upholding the mutual agreements set out

by The Government of Ireland and the European Union which can only benefit the Irish People if they are implemented with the same amount of regard to the Citizen, ultimately the Majority’s individual economy interconnected to the Regional and National economy.

The system which has been designed for Galway in regard of Light Rail which has highlighted all of the above concerns is best presented in the Sólás Uirbeach Iarnród na Gaillimhe (SUIG) system , which has sought to remain as a ubiquitous addition to existing facilities whilst aiming to solve Congestion, Unemployment, Citizens Purchasing Parity, Housing and improve Tourism, Industrial Investment and established Commercial activity.

The system also proposes the non destruction of Family Homes in resolving Galway’s Transport crisis.

(SUIG Planning Observation,http://issuu.com/agpireland/docs/suig_planning_observation, 2014)

Cities of Europe with Light Rail/Tram System not greater than 100,000 persons

Norrköping Liepája

Daugavpils Navapolatsk

Schwerin Brandenburg an der Havel

Gotha Valenciennes

Frankfurt(Oder) Zwickau

Liberec Plauen Most-Litvinov Olomouc

Gmunden Neuchatel Mestre

Sintra

Sollér

Grudziadz

Konotop

Dessau

Baden bei Wien

Kostiantynivka

Gmunden ,Austria Population : 13,195 System Length : 2.1 km System Gauge: 1,000 mm

Baden bei Wien , Austria Population : 25,229 System Length : 27.2km System Gauge : 1,435 mm

Navapolatsk , Belarus

Population :98,138 System Length : 11km System Gauge : 1524 mm Commenced in 1974

Liberec, Czech Republic Population : 100,914 (2008)

System Length : 21. 5km (5 Lines) System Gauge : 1000/1435 mm

Most-LitvĂ­nov , Czech Republic Population :100,000 System Length: 19km(4 lines)

System Gauge: 1435 mm

Valenciennes , France Population : 42,989 System Lengh : 33.8 km (2 Lines) System Gauge : 1 435 mm Opened in 2006/07

Brandenburg an der Havel, Germany Population : 71,149 System Length : 17km (4 lines)

System Gauge : 1,000 mm Opened in 1979

Frankfurt an der Oder ,Germany Population : 61,286 System length : 19.5 km (3 lines)

System Gauge 1000 mm gauge Opened in 1976

Gotha , Germany Population: 44,325

System length : 8 km (+19 km line 4) (4 LINES) System Gauge : 1000 mm gauge Opened in 1981

Dessau , Saxony-Anhalt, Germany Population: 77,973 System Length : 12.5 km (2 Lines) System Gauge : 1435 mm gauge

Jena, Germany Population :100,000(+3,000) System length : 23.5 km (5 lines) System Gauge : 1000 mm gauge

Plauen , Germany Population :67,967 System Length :16 km (5 lines) System Gauge : 1000 mm

Schwerin , Germany Population : 91,583

System length : 21 km (3 lines) System Gauge : 1435 mm Opened in 1974

Zwickau , Germany Population : 91,564 System Length :18.5 km (4 lines) System Gauge : 1,000mm

Norrkoping ,Sweden Population : 87,247

System Length : 21 km (3 Lines) System Gauge : 1435 mm

Daugavpils , Latvia Population : 89,184

System Length : 25km (3 Lines) System Gauge : 1524 mm

Liepรกja , Latvia Population : 82,386

System length : 7km (1 line) System Gauge : 1,435 mm

Neuchรกtel , Switzerland Population : 33,756 System Length : 8.85km System Gauge : 1000 mm

Sintra , Portugal Population : 27,000 System Length : 14 km System Gauge :1000 mm

Mestre , Italy Population : 89,373 System Length : 10 km System Gauge : 1,435 mm

Konotop, Ukraine Population : 92,867

System Length : 28 km (3 Lines) System Gauge : 1524 mm

Kostiantynivka , Ukraine Population : 77,066 System Length : 25.4km (4 Lines) System Gauge : 1,524 mm

Grudziadz , Poland Population : 98,326 System Length : 9km System Gauge : 1000 mm

Sรณller , Mallorca , Spain Population : 13,482 System Length : 4.9 km System Gauge : 914 mm

Olomouc , Czech Republic Population : 99,127 System Length :

15 km (7 lines) System Gauge : 1435 mm

With an Integrated Regional Model Inclusive of a Galway-Shannon–Limerick Connect , the addition to existing facilities appeases the demand for greater accessibility to the Labour market , ease of movement for Urban and Rural Tourism, Affordable, Sustainable and Reliable Public Transport which serves all Land Uses within the areas of concentration being that of Industrial, Commercial, Educational , Residential and Recreational.

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The over dependence on the Automobile for Commuting and Casual transport has added further expense to the National Economy with overbearing importation o resources to fuel this mode of transport in context to the actual disposable income levels of people who reside within the Galway-Shannon-Limerick areas, the high levels of unemployment are a tribute to this , with Sustainable Public Transport (Tram/Light Rail) which would deviate from the enforced model of Automobile-Fossil Fuel , returns a greater amount of Consumer Surplus therefore aiding to higher disposable income levels thus adding to the micro economies of all three areas and their hinterland dependent DED’s , in turn this would stimulate commercial activity in all areas of long term and short term expenditure , moreover the increased commercial activity would encourage employment within the system’s service and the consumer services which would establish and trade within the vicinity of such systems.

The macro events of Tourism through Shannon Airport would give rise to Increased Tourism and facilitate Local Tour Operators to extend tour packages along the Integration encouraging Urban and Rural Mixed Tourism whilst justifying and increasing Iarnród Éireann’s Passenger Train on the National Network Between Galway-Ennis-Limerick thus stabilizing the financial uncertainty upon the National Rail System outside of Dublin. The National Rail system would benefit immensely upon this Integration as it may encourage further integration on reliant Industries such as Agri-Freight i.e. Beef Export to benefit from thus creating a Synergetic System which would prompt infrequent and “soft” State Intervention avoiding Industrial disputes by securing and stabilizing the daily running of the system.

This in turn could prompt further justification for further extension of the European Ten T Network via the Atlantic Cohort , placing Galway, Shannon, Limerick at the centre of the Cohort Extension. Ultimately this Integration will create jobs, lessen imports of resources outside of Ireland’s control and boost existing facilities whilst adding a greater return of capital to the Citizen by increasing the consistency to the Individual’s Purchasing Parity of everyday needs.

Galway, Ireland Population : 76,778 System Length : 30.97km (4 lines) System Gauge : 1000 mm (preferred)

Shannon Airport Light Rail Link (Nasc IarnrĂłd Aerfort na Sionainne)

Population : 9,673 (1.64 million Air Passengers per annum, 2014)

System Length : 10.992 km

System Gauge : 1000mm —1435mm (TBD)

Limerick , Ireland Population : 95,854 System Length ;

(Phase 1 – Green and Red Lines; 25.9km) (Phase 2 - Blue line 4.6km) (Phase 3 - Maroon Lines , 7.2 km)

System Gauge : 1000mm (Preferred)

References : Lewis Dijkstra and Hugo Poelman, (2012), OECD, CITIES IN EUROPE THE NEW OECD-EC DEFINITION; Regional Focus A series of short papers on regional research, European Commission pp. 3-11 Urban Rail.net (2015) Trams in Europe, City Tram System Profiles [online] available ; http://www.urbanrail.net/eu/euromet.htm (accessed July 2nd 2015) The Atlantic Greenway Project (2014), SUIG Planning Observation [online] available ; http://issuu.com/agpireland/docs/suig_planning_observation (Accessed July 2nd 2015)

AGP Ireland , 2014, Sólás Uirbeach Iarnród na Gaillimhe Routes Option 2 available : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u-Fhxf_eTV4&feature=youtu.be

AGP Ireland , 2014, Sólás Uirbeach Iarnród na Luimnigh available : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tvIbw5wz2_o AGP Ireland , 2014 Shannon Airport Rail Link /Nasc Iarnrod na Sionnaine available : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r7EASOe-V-M