Capel Street’s permanent pedestrianisation among options in public consultation

Proposals for the future of Capel Street and Parliament Street in Dublin city centre, which include options for their full pedestrianisation on a 24/7 basis, have been made available for public consultation.

Cars have been banned from the streets, which face each other over the river Liffey at Grattan Bridge, from 6.30pm to 11.30pm on Friday, Saturday and Sunday since June 11th, to facilitate outdoor dining.

That traffic-free trial was to come to an end last weekend, but following a social media outcry Dublin City Council decided to extend it to September 26th.

The council for the next three weeks is seeking people’s views on a number of options for the future of the streets. These options include retaining the current weekday arrangements, whereby traffic is permitted but car parking spaces and loading bays are requisitioned for outdoor dining; a full return to the pre-pandemic arrangements with the reinstatement of parking and traffic lanes; or the full or part pedestrianisation of the streets, at weekend nights, every weeknight, or on a full-time basis.