IS NOW THE BEST MOMENT TO HALT TRAFFIC ON WEST STREET?
ALISON COMYN ON THE LATEST RATIONALE BEHIND TRIALLING THE PEDESTRIANISATION OF DROGHEDA’S MAIN THOROUGHFARE DURING CRISIS
PHASE Two of the Government’s roadmap to easing the lockdown restrictions kicks in next week, which means more small businesses will be able to re- open their doors.
This next step to get our local economy back on track, has once again brought the question whether West Street should be temporarily pedestrianised to the fore, to accommodate safe queueing and to allow for tables and chairs outside some premises.
Three weeks after local Green Party rep David Rossiter launched his online petition to close the street to cars, he is a few signatures shy of his 500 goal, and he says the overall reaction has been positive.
“Generally, the reaction has been positive and it has brought up the old debate about why it wasn’t pedestrianised in the first place,” says David, who is originally from Drogheda, and in the process of moving back from his Bristol home. “This would the ideal opportunity to bring it in for the summer on a trial basis, and keep it under watch to see if it would be possible for a longer term.”
Whilst his politics focuses on scaling back on the use of vehicles, and promotes cycle use, he says he is also taking the traders very much into consideration.
“I realise there is a full consultation process and we know traders are suffering so it will obviously take their thoughts into full consideration too.”
Louth County Council says they are working in real time to grapple with COVID’s devastating economic impacts, and the twin goals are Town Centre Economic Recovery and staying safe.
“The COVID-19 pandemic has radically altered how we go about our daily lives how we get groceries, where we go, who we see, and what we do, and the requirement of “social or physical distancing” — maintaining at least 2 metres distance between people, with significant reductions or bans on group gatherings and crowds—combined with what we know today about the transmission of this corona virus and its increased communicability in indoor settings, requires that we reallocate our streets and public realm for public use during this crisis and for the future,” said a spokesperson for the council.
“We are working with the Business Improvement Districts in Drogheda and the Disability Louth Forum to chart a safe course to allow businesses, and services to re-open in the town centres. The Council has conducted street audits and identified queuing hot spots. With the assistance of the BIDS town centre manager’s different solutions are being rolled through consultation with the retailers”.
Changes to date include in Drogheda, the parking for a loading bay has been reduced on Laurence St and parking has been removed on a section of North Quay to achieve social distancing.
The roll out of a one-way system has commenced in Drogheda on Shop St and Stockwell Lane as these footpaths are very narrow for
THIS WOULD BE THE IDEAL OPPORTUNITY TO BRING IT IN FOR THE SUMMER ON A TRIAL BASIS, TO SEE WOULD IT BE POSSIBLE FOR A LONGER TERM
social distancing.
The idea of pedestrianising the main street received a mixed response on the Drogheda Independent facebook page:
Mark Healy
The way I see it is, West Street was the only place to shop a long time ago and it thrived because it didn’t have competition with retail parks. This has nothing to do with vehicles driving through. Back then, West Street was busy with traffic but everyone shopped there because there was nowhere else in Drogheda to get your main weekly shopping. New ideas need to be brought in for West Street, stopping vehicles driving through will not fix the reason it lacks business.
Tommy Finnegan
No need to close all of West Street, just Narrow West Street. It could be a mini Grafton Street and would attract Cafes and the likes. Open it from 6am to 8:30am for deliveries. That was the original idea. But was changed, I think, by the traders themselves. Wake up and see the potential
Mark Kierans
Done right I think it would be good all pubs restaurants and cafes/coffee shops with outside seating areas, market stalls/ food stalls. deliveries allowed in early but have to be off by certain time. I definitely think it’s worth looking at but you need to have shops lined up before committing. What’s there now isn’t enough.
Wendy Connor
They’d want to get a few shops into it first - only for Tesco, Dunnes and Penney’s it’d be a ghost town altogether. And by shops I don’t mean just cafés. Or is it just to distract people from looking at Narrow West Street crumbling down?!
Susan Coombes
Free car parking if you’re shopping in the area, lower rates on premises to attract businesses...the more shops, the more attractive it will be to shop. But it’s got to start at the top and provide incentives for business to set up there.