Leitrim County Council has confirmed that it is to go ahead with plans to pedestrianise Carrick-on-Shannon from this coming Friday.
The pilot was due to begin earlier this month but was postponed following numerous submissions received by the local authority from businesses and residents concerned about its impact.
The Council has today confirmed that the area of Main Street from its junction with Church Lane/St Mary's Close to the junction with St George's Terrace will be pedestrianised from 6pm on Friday evenings through to 8 am on Monday mornings.
The pilot will begin this Friday, July 2nd and will continue until Monday the 27th of September.
The Council claims that 68% of people who responded to a survey regarding the no vehicle plan for the town centre were supportive of making the town more accessible for people on foot.
In a statement to Shannonside Northern sound this lunchtime, the Council claims that through pedestrianisation the experience of visitors and shoppers on the street can be greatly enhanced and provides opportunities for space to be used more efficiently and more thoughtfully to support the vibrancy and welcoming feel of the town centre.
The full statement is below:
Leitrim County Council published its intention recently to pedestrianise part of Carrick-on-Shannon Town Centre on a pilot basis. Following consideration of submissions received the proposed pedestrianisation on this pilot basis will now proceed.
The area of Main Street from its junction with Church Lane/St Mary's Close to the junction with St George's Terrace will be pedestrianised from 6pm on Friday evenings through to 8 am on Monday mornings. This pilot will commence from Friday 2nd July 2021 and is scheduled to last until the morning of Monday 27th September.
Leitrim County Council has been considering this pedestrianisation for some time. In order, to assist the Council in its consideration an online survey was undertaken which offered all interest parties the opportunity to put forward their views in regard to either full or partial pedestrianisation.
The Council was very happy with the level of response to the survey and from the survey results it was clear that a strong appetite for a level of pedestrianisation in the Town Centre existed with 68% of valid responses to the survey supporting the level of pedestrianisation now being implemented (or greater) on a pilot basis.
The Council believes that through pedestrianisation the experience of visitors and shoppers on the street can be greatly enhanced and provides opportunities for space to be used more efficiently and more thoughtfully to support the vibrancy and welcoming feel of the town centre.
The pedestrianised area is focused on the potential to create an important linkage between the new town centre carpark and the rest of the town centre contributing to greater footfall not alone within the proposed pedestrianised area but will also act as a key feeder to areas such as the Market Yard, St George's Terrace, Bridge Street and Upper Main Street linking with attractions such as the DOCK Arts Centre, Costello Chapel and St George's Visitor Centre as well as to restaurant and café offerings etc. However, the implementation of this pedestrianisation pilot will be kept under review in relation to achieving the desired results for the town.
