Communication with local residents and business people will be crucial in order to ensure road closures for this year’s European Triathlon Championships are carried out with minimal disruption.
A list of proposed road closures for this year’s event, which takes place from Thursday to Sunday, July 1-4, was presented to councillors this week, following meetings between the council, Gardai, and the triAthlone organising committee.
Grace Road will remain closed from 2pm on Wednesday until after the final event finishes up on Sunday, while Church Street, the location of the finishing stretch of the races, will be closed from Friday at 6pm until Sunday evening. While all events will be finished by 5pm on Sunday, it will be several hours before roads can reopen.
Road closures will also affect Grace Road, Magazine Road, Connaught Street, Pearse Street, St Peter’s Square, the town bridge, Castle Street, old Galway Road, Griffith Street, Strand, and Custume Place over the course of the weekend. All proposed closures will be advertised in the coming weeks.
Cllr Kieran Molloy said he hoped the council would ensure traders are fully informed about the closures, which he said created severe problems for traders on the west side of town last year. Cllr Aengus O’Rourke urged that the residents of these areas also be kept up to date on the closures.
Town clerk John Walsh assured councillors the council would liaise with trader groups and deliver fliers to those most affected.
“People can also respond to public notices. There will be lengthy periods when people won’t be able to get into certain areas. On balance there will be greater access this year than other years,” he added.
However, Cllr Gabrielle McFadden expressed concern for businesses in other areas of the town too, which suffered last year due to lack of local access.
“You cannot say this won’t impact on business - it is not only important for traders on these streets, but also for traders in other areas. People didn’t know last year and everyone assumed Irishtown was closed.
Cllr Kevin ‘Boxer’ Moran suggested putting up boards at the eastern and western approaches to Athlone advising visitors which roads are closed.
“Communication is the key to its success,” added Cllr Paul Hogan. “We not only need to notify the public, we should also be able to highlight alternative routes. We should write to the Chamber and ask them to forward a notification to all their members. Temporary taxi ranks proved very successful last year and we should be consulting with taxi groups too.”
