Galway city councillors have given the green light to upgrade the heart of Galway city centre with pedestrian-priority streets.
During Galway City Council’s September plenary meeting, councillors approved the Cross Street Rejuvenation project. The decision followed public consultation and consideration of submissions.
The upgrades to Cross Street, Middle Street, Abbeygate Street Lower, Buttermilk Lane and Buttermilk Walk aim to encourage greater pedestrian activity in the city centre by enhancing public spaces, supporting local retailers and improving outdoor dining and seating areas.
Abbeygate Street, Cross Street and Middle Street would operate as pedestrian-priority streets, with restrictions on delivery times and vehicle access. Businesses will also be permitted to extend outdoor seating into designated loading and parking bays.
The streets included in the project are regarded as being in need of significant improvement, despite attracting high levels of footfall. The plans are intended to be sustainable, maintainable and adaptable to future needs.
A day-to-day model is set with full vehicular access to be maintained to allow for business deliveries and emergency services access. To reduce conflict between vehicles and pedestrians, a minimum footpath width of 1.8 metres will be retained.
A total of 17 submissions were made with generally positive support for the scheme. However, some concerns were rasied over the accessability of pedestrainising streets for disabled users and older people as well as the effects to local businesses.
Galway City Council responded to each submission and planners felt the issues raised did not warrant any significant modifications to the plans.
Funded by the Local Democracy Reporting scheme.