Improvement works are planned for College Green ahead of a permanent scheme which will see traffic cut back under a new pedestrianisation plan.
On Wednesday, an interim scheme for College Green was under discussion at the Dublin City Council Transport SPC. It is expected that an interim urban streetscape design is to be provided for the new enhanced space, with temporary greening and seating.
Space for traffic outside Trinity College will be reduced in line with the BusConnects network changes. The new plans will see a pedestrian area extending as far as South Great George's Street.
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Taking to social media, local Green Party Councillor Janet Hornet welcomed the news, saying it is "exciting" to see the plans for the interim scheme at College Green. Plans to remove motorised traffic from College Green and turn the area into a central pedestrian space were first proposed in 2015.
However, the plans were rejected by An Bord Pleanala three years later because of concerns over car and bus traffic. The situation has changed since 2018, as the BusConnects programme of the National Transport Authority (NTA) is well underway, which will see bus routes reorganised and diverted from College Green to allow for pedestrianisation.
Green Party Cllr Donna Cooney told Q102 that the new plan would make way for more planting in the area. "It's going to be really transformative and a space where people of all ages can linger and enjoy," she said.
After the plans were enlarged through the eastern end of Anne Street and a relaunched consultation closed at the end of 2021, the council decided to push back the planned pedestrianisation of College Green to 2024. College Green wouldn't be the only place in Dublin City Centre to be removed from traffic in recent years.
Capel Street was permanently pedestrianised this May after it had already been previously been trialled on a temporary basis. Meanwhile, last month the city's Summer Sunday event saw temporary pedestrianisation implemented at College Green.
Read Next:
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- Pedestrianisation of College Green pushed back to 2024
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