Temporary safety measures including pedestrianisation of cycling lanes and priority times for cocooners are to be introduced at the Phoenix Park.
The Office of Public Works unveiled the plan today, which will come into effect from Monday, May 18.
The body said the changes are being introduced in response to the huge rise in the use of the park as a recreational space since the coronavirus outbreak.
Current cycling and pedestrian usage has raised significant new road safety issues not experienced before, with the OPW saying this will be exacerbated with the reintroduction of vehicles into the park.
Minister of State for the Office of Public Works and Flood Relief, Mr. Kevin ‘Boxer’ Moran, said: "We all know that the use of the Phoenix Park as a recreational space has significantly increased since the outbreak of COVID-19 and I am pleased to see these temporary safety measures being introduced to manage that increase."
The measures, which will allow people to walk, run and exercise in the park while adhering to the 2m social distance rule, have been introduced in consultation with gardai.
These full list of temporary measures includes:
- Provide cocooning space at the Phoenix Park Visitor Centre Walled Garden from 10am to 1pm, daily.
- Provide priority cocooning car parking at the Phoenix Park Visitor Centre for those cocooning and using the walled garden.
- Repurpose a portion of the North Road from the Cabra Gate to GHQ as a 2m wide footpath.
- Instillation of one-way cycle lanes on the hard shoulder of Chesterfield Avenue to facilitate 2m social distancing.
- Convert the current cycle lanes adjacent to Chesterfield Avenue into pedestrian footpaths
- Open car parks at 10am daily from the 18 May in line with Phase 1 of the Government of Ireland Roadmap.
- Dedicated parking areas will be provided for those taking early morning exercise.
- Prioritise car parking for Dublin Zoo patrons in conjunction with their phased reopening
- Introduction of pedestrianised & leisure cycle shared space on the Kyber Road.
- Re-open the perimeter vehicular gates at 10am daily from the 8 June in line with Phase 2 of the Government of Ireland Roadmap.
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