Buisnesses in Kilkenny are commissioning a leading UK specialist to examine Kilkenny streetscapes with a view to implementing a traffic system that works for both businesses and pedestrians in Kilkenny city.
Ben Hamilton Baillie, who has succeeded in harmonising the often competing needs of pedestrians and motorists in confined urban spaces is to be commissioned by centre city business proprietors to come up with a radical plan to transform the city centre into an attractive space for cyclists, pedestrians and car owners alike.
He is due to visit Kilkenny this month and local businesses people are hopeful that he will come up with a novel new concept for traffic management within Kilkenny city centre.
The move comes after criticism from local business people in the heart of city, of the one way system which has been in place for the last six months on the High Street in Kilkenny.
In a show of hands, at a meeting of more than 100 city business people in the Ormonde Hotel last Monday night, it was clear that none of those attending the meeting was in favour of retaining the trial one-way traffic system.
Speaking after the meeting, Jim Flynn, chairman of the Kilkenny Centre City Business Association (KCCBA ), said it is now clear, after six months of experimentation, that the traffic management system as it is currently configured is not working in the best interests of shoppers, visitors or motorists.
“The association, which represents city centre businesses, says it is very concerned that long delays for shoppers exiting car parks since High Street became a one-way route in April last have contributed to a serious fall-off in business and will further deter shoppers from coming into town for the busy pre-Christmas shopping season.
“Our association is very anxious to work with all of the stakeholders, particularly the elected members of Kilkenny Borough Council, to find a way forward which will present our main thoroughfare as it should be — the main artery for retail business and the premier attraction for pedestrians, both shoppers and visitors.”
KCCBA has entered dialogue with Mayor Martin Brett and county manager, Joe Crockett and other members of the council and executive.
“Businesses on High Street and other streets in the centre city have been severely affected by the recession and we are asking that the current pilot one-way traffic system in High Street is suspended until we find a better way forward in consultation with all the stakeholders,” said Phil Walsh, CEO of Goods Department Store.
“Mr Hamilton Baillie will visit Kilkenny later this month and we hope that he will be in a position, once he has studied our current difficulties, to map the best way forward. It may be that we will end up with a new concept for Ireland in Kilkenny and other medieval city centre streets, which would involve the removal of barriers, signals, high kerbs and all the conventional methods of segregating pedestrian and motor traffic.
Richard Duggan of Duggan’s Menswear, High Street, “we are very anxious at this stage to have consultations with the city councillors, the city manager, the engineers, planners, the Gardaí, the Chamber of Commerce and other stakeholders so that we can create a centre city environment that will be a national showcase for users and businesses alike,”
KCCBA has, in partnership with the Borough Council, also engaged Waterford Institute of Technology to seek out customer reactions to the current trial. The businesses hope that, with the benefit of the most up-to-date information, the best decision can be made for the city centre.
