Dublin City Council may be set to provide space for outdoor dining as the removal of a two-traffic lane on Merrion Row is in talks.
Businesses have requested for the council to provide street pedestrianisation when COVID-19 restrictions ease, but the National Transport Authority of Ireland says that this is not a possibility for bus routes.
The NTA have said that a minimum of one lane needs to be kept open to maintain public transport services as they say the street is “not feasible from an operational point of view."
Dublin City Council is calling for the consultation of the public on the proposal of removing two traffic lanes from Merrion Row to discuss the requirement of additional space when businesses reopen for outdoor dining.
It would involve the redirection of traffic onto Hume Street and Ely Place from St Stephen’s Green to avoid bottlenecks on Merrion Row.
The council have stated that a trial will be undertaken in May to determine if the arrangement is feasible but only if there is support for the proposal.
If the trial is successful, the system will be put in place before outdoor dining begins and it will run as a further trial during the summer.
The plan is set to make room for outdoor furniture such as tables and chairs in the city.
A spokesperson for Dublin City Council said: “This would involve reversing the direction of traffic flow on Hume Street and part of Ely Place and diverting traffic from Stephen's Green East to Hume Street and so substantially reduce the traffic volumes on Merrion Row leaving only buses and other vehicles from Kildare Street using Merrion Row.
“Vehicles currently using Hume Street to access Stephens Green would do so via Pembroke Street and Leeson Street.”
Public consultation regarding the rearrangement of traffic on Merrion Row has opened today and will remain open until April 30.
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