PEDESTRIANISATION is to be trialled from the end of July to the middle of October on the old bridge linking Killaloe and Ballina.
Clare County Council have confirmed the trial period will run from Monday July 28th to Friday October 17th.
Elected members of the Killaloe and Nenagh Municipal Districts along with officials from local authorities in Clare and Tipperary met on Wednesday where it was agreed to bring in the measures.
The trial, provided for under Section 38 of the Road Traffic Act 1994, aims to pilot a more pedestrian and cyclist-friendly route on the old town centre bridge between Killaloe and Ballina. Proposals were first mooted in the Killaloe-Ballina Town Enhancement and Mobility Plan.
A co-ordinated vision for for public realm improvements in Killaloe and Ballina are included in the Mobility Plan along with improvements to public spaces in Killaloe and Ballina and the provision of additional car parking in both towns.
According to the County Council, the trial will also allow for the gathering of further details on traffic flow and pedestrian movements internally between the towns, and for the measurement of the social, economic and tourism benefits.
In May, the new Brian Boru Bridge was officially opened, crossing over the River Shannon approximately 1km south of the old 18th Century Killaloe Bridge and connecting the Killaloe Bypass with the R494 to the south. The official opening was met with backlash locally when the people of Killaloe and Ballina were prohibited from accessing the official opening in what was dubbed “a PR disaster”.
Formal advertisement of the Section 38 trial will follow in the coming weeks, including drawings of the pedestrianisation layout and details on how submissions from the public can be made during the trial period.
Following completion of the trial period, and having regard to the submissions made, consideration of national, regional and local policy and an appraisal of all data gathered, it is anticipated that in October, both Tipperary County Council and Clare County Council will make a determination on the future arrangements and pedestrianisation of the old 18th Century bridge.
