Survey finds Dublin hard on walkers

Problems crossing the road, illegally parked cars and fears for personal safety are among the complaints of people visiting Dublin city centre, according to a report which compares the capital with other European cities. But visitors to the city and locals alike expressed a strong liking for the mix of activities and atmosphere in the city centre, with most selecting Grafton Street, Henry Street and Temple Bar as their favourite parts of the capital.

The report "Streets As Living Space" is part of a European study and includes behavioural and lifestyle observations of Dublin city centre. It was prepared for the Dublin Transportation Office (DTO), and compares Dublin with cities and towns in Northern Ireland, Britain, Germany, Italy and the Netherlands. It examines a range of factors including mode of travel, purpose of visit, social activities, likes and dislikes of cities, problems for pedestrians, shopping behaviour, car parking and atmosphere.

Mr John Henry, chief executive of DTO, said that the report showed the importance of the bus for off-peak journeys to the city centre, the attractiveness of the city for shopping and socialising and the concerns of pedestrians about traffic and security in Dublin.

The report found the bus was the most favoured transport for journeys to the city centre for shopping, leisure and personal reasons. Bus usage was the third-highest of the cities surveyed, surpassed only by Birmingham and Edinburgh. The proportion of people walking, 21 per cent, is also above average for a city of Dublin's size.

Half of those coming to the city were local but 10 per cent had travelled distances of more than 50 miles.

The main purpose of social visits to the city was for meals or drinks (43 per cent), to meet people and friends (32 per cent) and to meet friends for shopping (15 per cent).

Dublin fared poorly against its European competitors in a number of areas including difficulty in crossing the road, problems with illegally parked cars and concerns about crime and personal security. Some people said they also felt uncomfortable about an air of decline in certain areas.