Blow for Galway City’s outdoor summer plans

From this week’s Galway City Tribune – Galway’s plans for an outdoor summer have suffered a blow after emergency services strongly opposed on health and safety grounds changes to street layout ‘back the West’.

Galway City Council has shelved plans to temporarily pedestrianise Dominick Street Upper at night after objections from ambulance services.

And a one-way system proposed for a major city artery, Dominick Street Lower, was resisted by Gardaí, and now seems likely to be abandoned altogether.

Not all is lost, however . . . Gardaí, the HSE and Galway Fire and Rescue Service have ‘given their blessing’ for the Council to proceed with pedestrianisation plans at William Street West and Small Crane, which will be in effect each evening.

The eleventh-hour compromise comes amid a backlash on social media after it emerged that those proposals had been delayed. Talks with stakeholders are ongoing to find a solution to Dominick Street Upper and Lower.

Outdoor hospitality can also proceed at Woodquay, Raven Terrace, Middle Street and Salthill after some road space was reallocated to bars and restaurants.

It comes days after the Council closed ‘Middle Arch’, on the advice of Gardaí for Covid-19 and water safety reasons. Residents in Woodquay, Henry Street, Long Walk, Claddagh and elsewhere have voiced concern about anti-social behaviour associated with outdoor drinking.

(Photo: The Small Crane is one of the areas where pedestrianisation will go ahead).
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