College Green trial: Motor-traffic-free street welcomed, but complaints over heavy security

— Security barriers removed in afternoon after complaints.

Dublin’s College Green went motor-traffic-free yesterday for the first 7am and 7pm Sunday trial — the day started off with complaints about barriers blocking off most of the street before the security measures were scaled back.

The Summer trials of the College Green Plaza are to continue next week and the week after.

Dublin City Council has said that it is preparing a new plan for the planned College Green Plaza after it was rejected by planners last year. The plan was rejected large due to a Traffic and Transportation Assessment, which included questioning traffic evaporation and misunderstanding induced demand.

Sunday morning started with a large number of complaints about the barriers:

https://twitter.com/thejetset/status/1152963426714619904?s=20

Some people made fun of the barriers and others questioned if somebody involved planned them to make it fail:

https://twitter.com/TheGoldenMej/status/1153048839554818050?s=20

But, after the complaints, the number of barriers used was vastly scaled back:

There was some strange sights — including people playing ball on College Green:

Usually it’d be too noisy here to hear this:

As the day went on, many people enjoyed having a significant area in Dublin City Centre without motor traffic:

https://twitter.com/lindseyclarke/status/1153018663659876353?s=20

https://twitter.com/Jackfire13/status/1152993692883574784?s=20

And, while there were a few large events in the city today, more bus-priority measures and fewer cars are likely needed on the quays:

https://twitter.com/AoifeCrowley8/status/1152995792124354560?s=20

On the next two College Green trials, an Irish man who is a transport planner in London has some suggestions:


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2 comments

  1. We need to sort out this silly blame game between the Gardai and the DCC,it was the same at the Alfie Byrne Road over the concert closures.

    Reply
  2. It was a DCC event so they should be calling the shots. In fairness, they did improve the situation fairly quickly.

    This is the point of an experiment; try something and learn from the experience. I expect next week will be better.

    Reply

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