‘Overwhelming’ support for closing areas around Grafton Street to traffic

​Proposals for the permanent pedestrianisation of several streets around Grafton Street have had an “overwhelmingly positive” response following trials in recent weeks, Dublin City Council has said.  

​For the last three weekends, parts of South William Street, Drury Street, Dame Court, South Anne Street and Duke Street have been pedestrianised, with parking spaces turned into outdoor seating areas for cafes and restaurants.

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This weekend was to be the last weekend of the trial scheme, but the council said the scheme will continue for the remaining two weekends in August. There was clear desire for the measures to be made permanent, it added.

“We have received 1,010 responses to our online survey on the trials and feedback remains overwhelmingly positive with over 90 per cent of respondents in favour of pedestrianising these streets on a permanent basis.”

​Footfall on Grafton Street and the surrounding area had fallen to 20 per cent of normal levels during the coronavirus lockdown. However, following the introduction of the pedestrianisation, footfall on the August bank holiday Saturday was higher this year than for the same Saturday in 2019, the council said.

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