Killarney

<p>By Sean Moriarty and Tristan O’Donoguhe</p>
<h3>Pedestrianisation of the town centre remains as divisive as ever following the results of several different surveys this week.</h3>
<p>On Monday next most COVID-19 restrictions will be lifted in Ireland. However, this week Kerry County Council announced that the ‘Safe Streets’ project will continue until least December 31 this year.</p>
<p>This means Plunkett St will remain pedestrianised and footpaths in the town centre will retain their wider footprint.</p>
<p>This temporary measure has been in place since July 2020 to allow for “COVID-19 Town Centre Mobility Measures”.</p>
<h3>Killarney Advertiser Survey</h3>
<p>The Killarney Advertiser asked readers online &#8220;after nearly two years should the current pedestrianisation of Plunkett St (and associated projects) continue or should the town return to its pre-COVID-19 layout&#8221;.</p>
<p>Some respondents (54.12%) want to keep the current layout while 45.88% want the town centre to return to its pre-pandemic layout.</p>
<h3>Chamber Survey</h3>
<p>Killarney Chamber of Tourism and Commerce published the results of its extensive ‘Killarney Sentiment Survey’ this week too.</p>
<p>The business body, through research agency Repucon, engaged with locals, business people and visitors through three different, but linked, surveys.</p>
<p>Analysing that research, it would appear the pedestrianisation of Plunkett Street and Main Street in Killarney has been a hit with 58.5% of businesses saying it was effective, 34.0% not agreeing, and 7.5% saying they don’t know.</p>
<p>In the community survey, 72.3% described the pedestrianisation of Plunkett Street as effective, 22.4% did not agree, and 5.3% said they don’t know while, in relation to Main Street, 56.9% of the community respondents thought pedestrianisation was effective, 37.1% didn’t agree, and 6.1% had no opinion.</p>
<p>Under a separate survey question 38.0% would be in favour of introducing pedestrianisation all year round, 36.5% said they would prefer to continue with the current level of car free zones, and 25.5% were in favour of removing it altogether.</p>
<p>In related matters, 55.9% of business responses were in favour of the decision to increase the width of footpaths in the town centre during the pandemic, 34.4% were against and 9.7% didn’t know.</p>
<p>In the community survey responses, 57.1% were in favour of wider pavements, 36.8% were opposed and 6.0% didn’t give an opinion.</p>
<p>For more on the extensive &#8216;Killarney Sentiment Survey&#8217; turn to page 12.</p>


Pedestrianisation continues to divide the town

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