Will someone please tell us how the traffic plan will work Private coach hire companies slam ‘disastrous’ delay in releasing travel information as chaos looms for Pope Francis’s visit to the Phoenix Park
just three weeks to go to Pope Francis’s visit, the delay in releasing travel information for the 500,000 attending his Mass in the Phoenix Park has been described as ‘disastrous’.
Private coach hire companies have raised concerns about getting people to and from the event in a timely manner, and have yet to get information about where they can park.
Final details for ticket holders around travel information will be issued on August 10, according to the event organisers, and will include details of how best to access the park depending on where people are travelling from.
Cronins Coaches, which is based in Cork and Dublin and operates a fleet of 75 vehicles, has major concerns about the logistics of the visit. Seven parishes have booked Cronins to transport people from Cork to Dublin on the Sunday. Owner Anne Cronin told the Irish Mail on Sunday: ‘We don’t know what way they’re running it. I’ve booked parking with them for our seven coaches, but they haven’t got back to us yet in terms of where we actually will be parking.
‘I’ve got no confirmation from anyone on where they intend to put us. My groups are asking what time they need to leave Cork to be there, and what time can they make bookings for meals en route. I don’t know the exact location of our coach park route yet, so we do not know how far the passengers will have to walk to the Phoenix Park.
‘I have concerns about not having that information to hand. We should have it now if our groups are asking where they should go, what their timetable is. I’ve major concerns about other work we’re trying to undertake in Dublin, doing our normal day’s work: picking people up from the airport, bringing them to their hotels... will we be able to help them make it to their hotels and get them to their flight on time? I’ve major concerns about it all.
‘It’s disastrous for us really. Anybody coming from Limerick... Cork... Wexford, they’re all coming into the M50,’ she added.
Similarly, coach and minibus hire company Paul Nash Travel is concerned for its drivers and the provisions made for them while they wait for passengers to return from the event.
Owner Paul Nash, whose coaches will be transporting 123 people on three buses from Galway to Dublin, said: ‘We have concerns over the hours our drivers will be working. They’ll be on rest waiting for the passengers to come back. I don’t know what facilities they’ve put in place for the parking buses. Will there be hot food there and enough toilets? We haven’t been made aware of any of that just yet..’
Organisers and gardaí are encouraging attendees to use public transport or private coaches over the weekend. Garda Superintendent Thomas Murphy said earlier this week: ‘This is the largest event Ireland has organised in nearly 40 years. It simply will not be possible to accommodate all the people who have indicated they want to travel by car to the Mass.’
Shuttle services and Dublin city public transport will be free for those attending. Those intending to travel with Irish Rail on August 26 should be aware all intercity journeys must be booked in advance online. This includes journeys being made by those who have existing tickets, including Department of Social Protection passes. If you do not have a reservation you will not be permitted to travel.
From the Pope’s arrival on Saturday, August 25, to his departure, significant temporary road closures will be in place. In a statement, gardaí said: ‘There will be a secure area around Dublin, starting at the M50 from 6am to 11pm on Sunday, August 26. If you are planning on using your car to access Dublin city then you should be aware there will be diversions/road closures and other restrictions in place on the day. You will need to leave plenty of time for any journeys to and across Dublin city from 6am to 11pm on the Sunday, 26 August, and pay attention to restrictions in place.
‘There will also be rolling restrictions on Saturday August 25, as Pope Francis visits a number of locations in Dublin city centre.’
On the Saturday, more than 50 roads will be closed, including O’Connell Street, Talbot Street, Abbey Street, and Henry Street, which will be closed to traffic from
noon until late afternoon, although businesses will be open as usual.
The same goes for Grafton Street, Westmoreland Street, Dame Street, Nassau Street and Pearse Street to College Green. A suspension of parking order will be in place in these areas from 6am to 4pm.
On the Sunday, there will be over 80 road closures with many not opening from 6am to 11pm. Much of the quays will be closed from 8am to 11pm. There will also be a considerable number of road closures in the Fingal area.
Meanwhile, city centre businesses are calling for flexibility over the course of the Papal visit as they fear they will suffer with the extent of the road closures proposed.
The CEO of the Restaurants Asso-
ciation of Ireland, Adrian Cummins, told the MoS: ‘I think the road closures are excessive. Having a lockdown from 6am until 11pm effectively means you will not be able to run a business in the city centre.
‘Footfall will be good, but you might not be able to get your staff or deliveries in. I think they need to have a common sense approach to this and give us some sort of leeway. If you look back to the Queen’s visit and President Obama’s visit, you didn’t have this level of closures across the city.’
Dublin Town, which represents over 2,500 businesses in the city centre, has also shared concerns. CEO Richard Guiney told the MoS: ‘Dublin Town has concerns with aspects of these [traffic] plans and is seeking further clarification in relation to elements of the proposals.
‘Our primary objective is to maintain access for as many people as possible in the core city centre business area, particularly on the Saturday.
‘We will be looking for the restrictions to apply for the shortest period as possible,’ he added.