Respect the Street, Slow the Speed Back the West

Residents, businesses and community partners on Munster Avenue and Fr Griffin place in Galway's Westend are calling for greater awareness and respect from drivers following concerns about vehicles speeding through these residential streets!

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Munster Avenue and Fr Griffin place are lived-in neighbourhoods, not shortcuts. With the summer season now underway, the area is once again taking advantage of its long-standing evening pedestrian-friendly approach which has been running since 2019, with streets in the wider Galway's Westend area being pedestrianised each evening. This initiative has been widely welcomed by residents and businesses, helping to create a safer streetscape, a more social environment, and stronger conditions for independent businesses to survive and thrive.

The intention of the evening pedestrian-friendly approach is simple. It supports local businesses by keeping the area visible and accessible during the summer months. It encourages a more social and people-first use of public space, particularly around outdoor dining and early evening cultural activity before 9pm. It also promotes walking and cycling as the natural and preferred way to experience the Westend, while strengthening overall safety through increased footfall and natural community presence.

However, residents are increasingly concerned that Munster Avenue and Fr Griffin Place residential streets within this wider area are being used by some drivers as a shortcut, with instances of speeding reported. Community members are reminding motorists that this is a neighbourhood where people live, children walk to school and play, and families use the street daily.

A joint initiative has now been developed between residents, local businesses, Galway City Council and An Garda Síochána to address the issue and reinforce a shared message of safety and respect. As part of this project, pupils from Claddagh National School have been involved in designing posters aimed at encouraging drivers to slow down and be mindful of the community they are passing through.

The message from the community is clear. Slow down, respect the street, and recognise that Munster Avenue and Fr Griffin Place are parts of a living neighbourhood where safety and community come first.

This Campaign is supported by Galway City Council.