Tralee unveils post Covid-19 town centre 'mobility plans'

Mayor of Tralee Jim Finucane. Photo: Domnick Walsh

The mayor of Tralee has appealed to Kerry people to “switch back” from online shopping which has boomed during the lockdown.

He was speaking during the unveiling of ambitious “mobility plans” for Tralee town centre and Ardfert village, post Covid-19 including new pedestrian links, the use of lanes and shopping corridors, as well as provision for people cycling. Negotiations were also underway with individual business owners for pavement licensing of street furniture and canopies.

“Online shopping has taken off and I would appeal to people to support local shops and revert back to buying locally,” Mr Finucane said.

Following discussions with businesses in the town, as of July 1 all car parks in Tralee are free from 9 am to 11 am.

This is a great town and we have to respond and we are responding by significant public investment.

Atmosphere and ambience in shopping were now more important than anything.

The mayor said €3.4 million will be invested shortly in upgrading streets and footpaths in the Rock Street and Russell Street areas to bring them on a par with the Mall area, and tenders are going out shortly.

Tralee town manager Michael Scannell said “the core message” of the mobility plans outlined by town engineer Colm Nagle is to promote towns as a safe place to visit and do business.

“The core principles are to permit social distancing and pedestrians and to meet the needs of the elderly and people with special needs,” Mr Scannell said.

There has been a huge amount of cleansing of the town centre over the last number of days.

Specific training programmes have been devised by the Kerry Education Training Board for the tourism and retail sector to ensure premises are as safe as possible, he also said.

A new walking corridor to link the western end of Tralee to the main pedestrianised mall will be through the Tralee Town Shopping Centre, saving Russell Street from the danger of too many pedestrians and officials. Councillors thanked the owners of the centre for their co-operation.

The town manager said cycling is central to the whole regeneration of Tralee and additional cycling racks are being put into the edges of the pedestrianised areas. The new greenway to the train station and to the canal will form a key cycling route.