Appeal for co-operation ahead of major street works in Dundalk

Following the announcement yesterday by Louth County Council(LCC), that it intends to introduce a one way system on Church Street and Clanbrassil Street for 11 months, to facilitate the Clanbrassil Street & St Nicholas Quarter Rejuvenation Scheme, the Dundalk Democrat spoke to Dundalk Chamber of Commerce president Pat McCormick, to get the Chamber's views on the plans.

Mr McCormick stressed the importance of the public being aware of the upcoming changes, and the impact it may have on both the public and businesses alike.

“Make sure people are aware of the restrictions that are being proposed and that are going to come in”, Pat said, “I'm not saying that this can't go ahead or shouldn't go ahead. It is just purely to say be aware.”

“Go look at the restrictions, there's a period here for people to make comment.

“They may wish to comment to the Chamber, to BIDS, which I recommend they would – that's the direct representative body for the traders in the area; and of course to the county council.”

The proposed one way system is to run from Monday 7th January 2019 to Saturday 30th November 2019, inclusive. LCC say the temporary one-way system will run southbound from the junction of Church Street with the Laurels to Market Square.

The diversion route will be as follows:

Traffic travelling north towards Clanbrassil Street (R132) will be diverted north along The Long Walk L-20016-20, L-20011-11 & The Laurels L-20011-10 to its junction with Church Street, R132.

Thereafter vehicular traffic can rejoin Clanbrassil Street in both directions.

Traffic travelling south along Church Street & Clanbrassil Street will not be affected.

The Dundalk Chamber president acknowledged LCC's preparation for the works, “We know the works are going to go ahead and there's a series of traffic management proposals that the County Council have made already.

“I gather they're going to try to mitigate the effect as much as possible.

“The end result should be great for the street and to see the development and the upgrading of the infrastructure in the area but obviously its going to have a big impact on everybody.”

Pat reiterated the most important step that needs to be taken ahead of the works commencing, is communication between all parties.

“We need to make sure everybody is talking and everybody is aware of what is going on, of what's being proposed.

“And there's a wider message that needs to go out, that this is going to have an impact on people, not only the customers who'll be coming in and out and just to say to them the businesses are still there.

“These are the businesses that are Dundalk based, Dundalk owned and so on. That its really important to make that extra effort to try and come in - to still go back.

The Chamber president, in concluding, stressed the importance of everyone working together during the period of the works, “There's still going to be access maintained to all the shops and all the businesses along there”, he said.

“But if we still want to have a heart in the town, we need to make sure that we make the extra bit of effort to keep them alive during the period, so that when the work is finished in November as projected, that there are still businesses there for us to come back into.”

Louth County Council in the notification of the planned traffic measures say that, any person who wishes to make a submission in relation to the proposed one way system, should lodge same in writing to: Eugene Mc Manus,Administrative Officer, Infrastructure, Louth County Council, Town Hall, Dundalk, not later than 12:00 noon on Friday 28th September 2018.