Hundreds of cops to be deployed for royal visit

Motorists have been warned they could face delays on some routes on Tuesday as Gardai in the city put in place one of their biggest ever security operations for the visit of Prince Charles and his wife Camilla.

Several hundred Gardai are expected to be involved in the security operation that will be concentrated around NUI Galway, the Claddagh and the Flood Street areas.

The royal visit coincides with the arrival of the An Post Rás cycling event to the city, putting a further stretch on Garda resources across the region.

The Rás event will be mainly policed by ‘travelling Gardai’ accompanying the cyclists on their stage from Tipperary to Barna – the race leaders are expected to ‘hit’ the city around 2.30pm on Tuesday.

Gardai haven’t yet released the exact time schedule for the royal visit but they have confirmed that there will be “some periods of inconvenience in the mid-morning to early afternoon” period.

A Garda spokesman advised that motorists should avoid the Wolfe Tone Bridge route around the midday period when the royals will be visiting Claddagh National School.

There will also be special measures put in place in the University Road area, including a restriction on city bound traffic along the route “for a short time” on Tuesday.

Some restrictions will also be in place around the Flood Street area where visits to the Druid Theatre and the House Hotel are on the royal itinerary.

“This is one of our biggest security operations of recent years with Gardai drafted in from other areas to police the operation.

“There will be some inconveniences for a time on Tuesday as part of that security operation but that will be mostly through the late morning, early after-noon period,” said a Garda spokesman.

No parking will be allowed along University Road on Tuesday from Ward’s shop to the Tesco retail outlet opposite the hospital for the visit of the Prince and Camilla to NUI Galway.

TRAFFIC RESTRICTIONS:

The following traffic restrictions will be put in place by An Garda Siochana for the Royal Visit:
• There will be no parking on University Road from midnight tonight Monday) until tomorrow evening.
• University Road will be closed to inbound traffic from the junction of University Road / Newcastle Road to the Cathedral from 12 noon – 3pm tomorrow.
• St. Dominicks Road and School Avenue in the Claddagh will be closed tomorrow from early morning until mid-afternoon. There will be no parking along Fairhill Road.
• Druids Lane will be closed to pedestrians from 7am tomorrow until mid-afternoon.
• Flood Street will be closed to traffic from the junction of New Dock Street to Augustine Street tomorrow morning until mid afternoon.
• A Clearway will be in effect on New Dock Street from 4pm this afternoon.