‘NO PEDESTRIANISATION WITHOUT CONSULTATION’
At a recent meeting of the County Wexford Chamber New Ross District committee, plans around the reopening of the town for shoppers and visitors were discussed, including the option of pedestrianising parts of the town at certain times.
County Chamber CEO Fiona Lewis said Chamber members are highly aware of the need to ensure that people coming into New Ross feel safe and welcome. After the meeting Ms Lewis met with the New Ross District manager Mick McCormack to agree some immediate actions.
Following the town meeting to be held by Zoom on Tuesday morning, Ms Lewis will meet with New Ross Municipal District officials and relay to them the concerns and suggestions of the business owners, manager and traders, with a view to moving forward and commencing the reopening project.
Ms Lewis said all Chamber members in New Ross have been invited to submit suggestions about how the town can reopen for business over the coming weeks. She said no unilateral pedestrianisation will happen without consultation with business owners, adding that making customers feel safe in the town centre is of paramount importance.
‘People need to be able to walk the streets without fearing they’ve to walk out into traffic and to be reassured that the premises they are going into are fully santisied.’
She said any measures taken will not be permanent, rather temporary in the context of the emergency public health situation the country is in.
‘It’s a reaction to the need to get back to some sense of reality to revive New Ross so we need to work at pace to get consumers back spending, to get traders back working and people back shopping. We need to look at this with the county jersey on. This is an immediate reaction to an immediate emergency.’
Wexford County Council chairman, Cllr Michael Sheehan said: ‘There are three things coming together and we have to deal with them. One is the health and Covid restrictions. Two, how do we market all of this as a safe and sound destination through a marketing retail campaign which will be rolled out over the coming weeks that will re-brand the town as a destination town for families? Three, we need to do something with the public realm to get the town back up and running from an economic viewpoint. We have a window of opportunity because by early July everything will be back up and running.’
Cllr Sheehan said the town’s 2011 development plan had pedestrianisation as one of its objectives, along with improving public spaces in the downtown area.
‘What will work well on South Street may not work well on Quay Street and we may need to look at something different for North Street and Charles Street. I think we should put a lot of time and effort into Quay Street as it’s the first street people arriving into the county through New Ross see.’
Outside seating with umbrellas, a covered Quay Street and markets, during Winterval and throughout the year, are all options, he said.
Some footpaths may need to be widened if two metre social distancing is to remain in place, which would make it very difficult for vehicles on South Street.
‘It’s a case of innovate or die. If we don’t, we’ll be left behind other towns like Enniscorthy and Gorey which are both looking at pedestrianising their town centres’.
He said Wexford County Council is willing to invest in New Ross to ensure it can bounce back quickly this summer.
A 35-YEAR-OLD New Ross man towing a caravan at the ferry port in Rosslare did not have a valid certificate of roadworthiness for his van.
James Murphy, 15 Woodbine Close, New Ross, was found on October 16 at the wheel of a Longford registered Toyota
Hiace.
The vehicle was examined on the evening in question by Garda Sinead Flynn and a summons was issued in due course.
Judge Brian O’Shea imposed a fine of €140 when he finalised the matter at Wexford District Court.