A new 30km/h speed limit for Dublin’s Phoenix Park is to come into effect from the end of February, as part of plans to make the park more pedestrian- and cyclist-friendly.
The change was recommended following a lengthy public consultation process last year, in part sparked by greater use of the park by the public during the first year of the Covid-19 pandemic.
The speed limit is to be reduced from 50km/h down to 30km/h, with the change coming into effect from February 28th.
Minister of State for the Office of Public Works (OPW) Patrick O’Donovan said the reduction should lead to a shift in driver behaviour, “making the park a safer place for all of us using it for recreational purposes”.
Traffic lane separators will also be put in to segregate cyclists and motorists along the length of Chesterfield Avenue, the main road running through the middle of the park.
The measures would replace traffic cones currently along the road, and will remain in place while plans for a permanent cycle lane linking Castleknock and Dublin city centre were drawn up.
Bike stands
Mr O’Donovan said the OPW had also installed more than 40 new bike stands in the park, with a further 70 stands to be put in over the coming months.
The OPW, which manages the park, is seeking consultants to put together a plan to address problems with the park such as a lack of parking, and to deal with other visitor requirements, particularly for people with mobility issues.
A nine-month pilot study will see a one-way system put in place on the park’s North Road, and its Upper Glen Road turned into a cul-de-sac. Neither change would affect access into any institutions near the two routes, the OPW said.
Michael Pidgeon, a Green Party councillor for Dublin southwest inner city, said the reduction in the park's speed limit was "really positive".
There was a need for further traffic calming measures to make the park more attractive for cyclists and families, such as pedestrian crossings along Chesterfield Avenue, he said.
