FOUR POPULAR STREETS in the south of the city centre are to be pedestrianised from today to facilitate outdoor dining.

From today, the following four streets will be either traffic-free, or have sections of them traffic-free every day after 11am:

• Anne Street South from the junction of Dawson Street

South Anne Street. Sam Boal Sam Boal

• South William Street from Exchequer Street to the Brown Thomas carpark exit

People enjoying the good weather outside on South William Street. Leah Farrell Leah Farrell

• Drury Street from just after its junction with Fade Street to the Drury Street underground carpark

Additional seating areas on Drury St. RollingNews.ie RollingNews.ie

• Dame Court from Exchequer Street.

Dame Court/ Castle Street in Dublin City centre Sasko Lazarov / RollingNews.ie Sasko Lazarov / RollingNews.ie / RollingNews.ie

The decision to carry out these works was made following successful ‘weekend pedestrianisation trials‘ that took place over six weekends during the months of July and August last year.

An online survey conducted by Dublin City Council into the trials received 1,588 responses, with 95% of respondents in favour of permanently pedestrianising the streets.

The plans for pedestrianising the streets were also issued for consultation last November and 97% of respondents were in favour.

Pre-Covid, in March 2020 there were 34 on-street car parking spaces on these streets. Once this pedestrianisation occurs, there will be no car parking spaces on these streets, Dublin City Council said.

There were five disabled bays on these streets, which have been relocated:

• The three spaces on Drury St will remain but have been relocated beside the Drury Street carpark
• The disabled bay on South Anne St has been relocated to Molesworth St
• The disabled bay on Dame Court has been relocated to Exchequer St.

There will also be traffic management on site for the first week as people get used to the changes. Temporary material, such as bollards with planters, is due to arrive soon.

Dublin City Council said that it’s working on plans to increase pedestrian and dining space in other parts of the capital, and will issue further information on this later.

Outdoor dining is set to be permitted from 7 June as Covid restrictions ease.