General News / August 24, 2021

Calls to keep Capel Street and Parliament Street pedestrianised as DCC trial is set to end

Parliament Street pedestrianisation
General News / August 24, 2021

Calls to keep Capel Street and Parliament Street pedestrianised as DCC trial is set to end

Words: Emily Mullen

Dublin City Council has announced that the pedestrian of two Dublin city centre streets is due to end this weekend.

There have been calls to keep two city-centre streets pedestrianised after Dublin City Council [DCC] announced the news on August 23 that the trial is set to end.

The 11-week trial saw Capel Street and Parliament Street closed to traffic on Friday, Saturday and Sunday evenings, to facilitate outdoor dining.

Despite the popularity of the trial with according to DCC “more than 300,000 people have experienced the traffic-free streets” the trial will be ending this weekend.

Locals residents, representatives and business owners have expressed disappointment that the trial is set to end.

A representative from Street 66 bar on Parliament street requested DCC to review the results of the trial and consult with local businesses. Writing, “why call it a trial if you say it was a success and are now ending it without any consultation with all the business on the Streets.”

Meanwhile, the owner of Panti Bar on Capel Street Panti Bliss has called the move “an absolute shambles,” the business owner added “the ‘trial’ has been a massive, unqualified success. To now go BACKWARDS is outrageous.”

“And of course, no one from @DubCityCouncil has even *spoken* to the people on the street. We find out about it on Twitter!”

The trial was born out of public consultation seeking views on traffic reduction in the city to facilitate pedestrianisation, in May with over 4,500 submissions, with 85% in favour of pedestrianisation.

The trial was originally supposed to run until mid-July but was extended by DCC until this weekend.

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