Wexford Town Centre – Accessibility

Hi Niallig,
My family on my mother’s side are from Wexford and i’ve still got a lot over there. My fondest memories from the late fifties 😮 were going down the main street to be taken to the “fillums” or to church on sundays and then to a Italian/American style ice cream parlour for canned fruit cocktail topped with ice cream and American Cream Soda poured over the top. Luxury and entirely exotic in those days. I’ve gone back in the sixties, seventies, Eighties and more recently in the new Millenium. My opinion is that Wexford went into a decline but is really starting to come back to life, so your question about pedestrianisation should be considered seriously now. I’m not a planner or architect but have been involved with many regeneration programmes here in England, from the training, employment and community development side. I would love to see the main street pedestrianised so that people can meander and interact as in the old days. however, i am conscious of the needs of the small trader, under increasing threat from the brand names who are dominating high streets all over the UK and Ireland. Also, forgive me Planners and Architects, pedestrianisation also seems to consist of the same “branding” as the high street chains. So we can expect swirls of granite cobbles from some unsustainable quarry in Spain or Italy, black and golden iron bollards and bins, and a raft of street furniture and signs totally unnecessary and out of touch with the original character of Wexford. The final result would be that you might as well be any main street in any town thats undergone regeneration. I think the key word is “restoration” rather new design of a formulaic type. Hope that helps start the debate going:) I’m over to see the family at Easter, and hope to enjoy a few pints in and out of the pubs on main street without fear of being run over:D I’ll take a straw poll amongst family who’ve lived there all their lives and let you know their opinion.

Best wishes
gorton

Have to say out of all the Irish towns I’ve been to in recent times, I found the nuisance and irritant value of traffic in Wexford Town extremely high, one of the highest of any town. Cars just seem to course through every last laneway in the town. The new public space by the seafront is lovely, but it is an isolated people-friendly area.

It’s the usual Irish town story; sprawl and one-off housing in the surrounding area mean every journey must be undertaken by car …public transport is impossible to put in because of the low-density pattern of development … businesses complain that they won’t be reached if any traffic restrictions are made in the town … high traffic levels on roads mean it’s unpleasant and difficult to walk or cycle anywhere …. so just drive instead. And so it goes on …

It’s such a shame because Wexford is a lovely town with a distinct character – possibly due to the strong survival of indigenous businesses. It has a good urban structure; the narrow windy main street, the parallel interlinked streets above that and the proximity of the core to the seafront. Some great architectural heritage as well; grain stores, slate-hung houses, vernacular shops – though it’s sash windows have taken a fair beating (no thanks to a certain, ahem, well-known Irish PVC company being located there! :rolleyes: ).

Wexford Town definitely needs the ‘Ruthless Suppression of Traffic’ approach!