Re: Re: college green/ o’connell street plaza and pedestrians

@rte.ie wrote:

Dublin centre roads could be closed to cars
Monday, 5 May 2008 11:43
A plan that would close off large sections of Dublin city centre to all private traffic is being considered.

Recommendations include the creation of a ‘bus gate’ area around College Green that would close off O’Connell Street, Westmoreland Street and Dame Street to all traffic except buses and taxis.

Chairman of the Oireachtas Joint Committee on Transport Frank Fahey told RTÉ’s Morning Ireland about a confidential draft report outlining the plan.

tMr Fahey said closing city centre roads to private traffic would make way for a reliable, high-frequency bus service. He said this is the best way to ease city centre traffic congestion in the short term.

The plan envisages 350 extra buses, with services running at 10 minute intervals off-peak and three minute intervals at peak times.

The closure could be implemented in April 2009.

The proposal includes a plan for private traffic flow around the city, involving the construction of two new bridges across the Liffey.

There would be a temporary bridge at Macken Street, and another at either Hawkins Street or Marlborough Street, to keep traffic from the car-free zone.

Dublin Chamber of Commerce says it is in favour of the plan, but with the construction of Dublin’s metro imminent, planning for the construction and implemention phase will be key.

Transport Minister Noel Dempsey will get the draft report in the next ten days. After that, the Transport Committee will look at improving congenstion in Cork, Galway, Limerick and Waterford by making their city centres car-free.

Between the existing streets of Grafton & Henry St, shopping centres at Stephens Green, Ilac, Jervis and planned Dublin Central this could with traffic removed create one of the most user friendly retail districts anywhere in Europe as modern malls fuse with indigenous bespoke cafes such as Keoghs and the legendary Guinness trail bars and modern additions such as Market Bar etc.

I am delighted to see the Chamber of Commefce back this as it represents a most welcome sea change to see the premier commercial body in the state agree with what the Dublin City Centre Business Association has been saying for many years!

More hotels required if this all comes to fruition