New St. Pedestrianisation: Walk Bike Fingal
On the 25th April Fingal County Council launched Walk Bike Fingal. A plan for social distancing in the public realm. https://www.fingal.ie/news/walk-bike-fingal-plan-social-distancing-public-realm
You can read our objection letter below
This is Walk Bike Fingal
26/05/2020
Dear David and Emer,
We are writing to you as a collective of local Malahide businesses (annexed in schedule 1 hereto) in respect of the proposed changes to the current infrastructure in Malahide (the “Village”).
We refer to the meeting organised by officials from Fingal County Council (the “Council”) on Tuesday 19 May 2020 at Avoca, Malahide Castle (the “Meeting”). Our understanding was that the Meeting was convened to discuss the proposed implementation of social distancing measures in the Village. We all recognise the social distancing challenges our Village faces along with so many other villages up and down the country and welcomed the opportunity to discuss potential measures to protect our Village, residents, businesses and consumers. Surprisingly, we were presented with plans to be approved and implemented imminently in the Village rather than the forum of engagement and discussion anticipated.
Following many representations from local businesses, we strongly disagree with the proposed measures. We are a small village already struggling to compete with the perceived convenience of large shopping centres, not to mention online shopping. The struggles faced by our local businesses have been further compounded in recent weeks by the outbreak of Covid-19. It is with deep regret over the last number of years, that we have lost well established local businesses and more have succumbed in the last number of weeks to the pressures we are all currently experiencing. As aforementioned, we are committed to ensuring that Malahide is a safe place for all, however we cannot accept that a blanket ban to traffic on the New Street (the “Street”) and the corresponding loss of parking spaces throughout the Village is in Malahide’s best interest.
We wish to engage with you in the most transparent and open manner and as such, based on the limited information available, we have compiled what we believe are the Pros and Cons of implementing your proposals. However, as you will see ultimately, we believe that the potential negatives far outweigh the potential positives to be derived from this plan, even on a trial basis.
Positives:
· Reduced Road Accidents:
- any potentially benefits hereto will be negated by pedestrian safety concerns increased by pushing diverted traffic onto narrow, often single lane, roads with poor visibility and access onto the main road; and
· Environmental Benefits:
- encouraging walking rather than driving can help to reduce car emissions in the location. However, the proposed pedestrianisation location is so short in length and area that the benefits will be lost on the increased traffic being pushed into the adjacent streets, some of which are predominantly residential. All streets in Malahide would have to be monitored to prove that the benefit is significant to the Village as a whole.
Negatives:
· There will be a loss of 40 car parking spaces. This includes the reallocation of existing spaces in other areas to taxi/loading bays. If you consider that the average car carries 1.5 passengers and spends 30 minutes parked this would represent a loss of over 1,000 people getting access to the village daily.
· Impractical for Elderly and Disabled:
- Age Action noted in their ‘How Walkable Is Your Town’ Survey 2015 that respondents said easy parking access to pharmacies, doctors and supermarkets were a priority, the Street has all three.
· Increase in Crime:
- one of the negatives that accompanies having crowds of people in one area is theft. It would be so easy for thieves to snatch and grab items from other pedestrians and make a quick getaway into the crowd. Malahide businesses currently have an ongoing issue with shoplifters and anti-social behaviour. We believe that your plans would further exacerbate the existing theft issues in the Village, particularly at night time when pedestrianised streets can be bleak.
· Bleak Empty Street:
- the Street has a poor mix of businesses to make this a vibrant area day and night. There is only one coffee shop, three pubs and three take-away restaurants and the Mall is closed at night. Furthermore, a number of the Street’s restaurants are not on street level and practically speaking it will be impossible, from a health and safety perspective, for first floor restaurants to serve food onto the Street. Are the Council proposing to allow ‘outside’ traders a licence to operate on the Street?
· Accident Risks:
- the lack of traffic fluidity increases driver stress, increasing the risk of accidents;
- the Street is not suitable in its current poor condition for pedestrianisation, major structural adaptations would be required which would take weeks of work and would be futile and uneconomical for such a short period; and
- construction works at the Green have already contributed to congestion with the addition of hugely oversized construction vehicles requiring access at the Marina. When work was being carried out before Covid-19, construction workers often parked in the parking spaces in front of Donnybrook Fair at the greenside, further limiting the availability of spaces in the Village.
· Weather:
- the lrish climate does not lend itself to pedestrianisation and outdoor vending. In Ireland we have on average 191 days with rainfall and an average daily temperature of 9.5 degrees per annum. Our inclement weather will not facilitate any viable use of the Street for the activities proposed by the Council and as such, any comparisons made to the Street and research undertaken by the Council in Utrecht in this regard makes the two areas wholly incomparable;
- in looking closer to home other county councils have attempted to implement unviable urban restructuring in recent times for example Dun Laoghaire and more recently Cork City Council. The disastrous results from the changes implemented in these areas should act as a clear warning to the Council that the proposal will only result in the demise of independent Irish business and the decimation of our Village.
· Previous Experience:
- we have tried pedestrianisation in the Village previously namely No Car Day held on 22 September 2019 and the annual summer festival with limited success from a commercial perspective. For many businesses in the Village these trial days result only in heavy traffic trying to access the Village and security concerns for businesses due to the sheer number of people in the Village. In fact, many of the businesses now close during these times altogether.
An objective examination of the advantages and disadvantages listed above determines that to proceed with your plan would undoubtedly have catastrophic consequences for our local businesses. It is undeniable that parking is and continues to be a major problem in Malahide and to limit supply any further will drive consumers out of the village to more convenient destinations. We are committed to protecting our Village together and seek your support in forwarding an alternative plan outlined below which we believe would both protect and promote our village whilst ensuring social distancing measures are maintained.
Alternative Proposal
Our alternative proposal for the ten-week period is as follows:
1. the Street becomes a one-way traffic system, with one lane of traffic going up the street to ease the pressure on the adjacent streets most particularly St James’ Terrace;
2. a widened footpath on the west side of the Street along with the existing east side footpath to facilitate social distancing;
3. maintain parking, Loading Bay/Taxi Rank on the east side of the Street to ensure the commercial status quo is maintained;
4. replace the current downward driving lane with the existing parking spaces on the east side of the Street including the disability spaces to maintain continued access to the Medical Centre, doctors, pharmacy and shops; and
5. maintain all other parking facilities in the Village in its current format.
Next Steps
It is with great regret that we are yet to receive any further information in respect of your proposals, despite assurances at the Meeting that further details would be provided imminently. We have canvassed our members with the limited information available and together we would greatly welcome the opportunity to further present and discuss our plans. In the meantime, we would be grateful if you would kindly furnish us with the following information:
1. a comprehensive outline of your plan, how it has been researched and how it will be executed;
2. copies of the public consultations relating to your proposal carried out to date;
3. copy of any consultation carried out with fire and ambulance services; and
4. proposals in respect of the 32 bus.
Businesses in Malahide are working hard to protect jobs and support the community and we appreciate and applaud everyone’s sustained efforts at this incredibly difficult time. The current situation has already had a hugely negative impact on many local businesses and understandably has generated real concern for the future. Many local businesses face times of huge adversity but we all share a spirit of resilience that will come to the fore and we are grateful for the Council’s continued support in this regard.
We look forward to hearing from you.
Shop Malahide