Munster Express Online

A minority of business interests in Waterford city centre who believe pedestrianisation has become an impediment to trade were reminded this week that there is no research supporting their view, which is also contrary to international trends.

The points were made by Chamber CEO Monica Leech who believes backtracking on pedestrianisation – introduced in George’s St, Barronstrand St and John Roberts Square more than twenty years ago and later extended to Broad St – is not on.

“Anyone who thinks reversing that very expensive exercise would boost business is mistaken”, she asserted. “What is needed is a bit of imagination and the organisation of a regular stream of simple events on the streets which would draw people in”.

In that regard she pointed to the carousel which created such a buzz around John Roberts Square through the festive period and also the Christmas-in-Waterford initiative, which she described as a big success. On an ongoing basis, she said street music and performance and such things as food fares and fashion shows would attract the public and generate an atmosphere. “We must create the perception that there’s something to do and people will then gravitate towards the city centre”, Ms Leech suggested.

She said City Manager Michael Walsh met late last year with traders who had problems with pedestrianisation and the consequential lack of traffic flow, but apart from the possibility of partially opening up the area to motor vehicles in late evening or on Sundays, there was no possibility of reverting to what applied previously.

See The Munster Express newspaper for a more detailed report.