By Sean Moriarty and Tristan O’Donoguhe

Pedestrianisation of the town centre remains as divisive as ever following the results of several different surveys this week.

On Monday next most COVID-19 restrictions will be lifted in Ireland. However, this week Kerry County Council announced that the ‘Safe Streets’ project will continue until least December 31 this year.

This means Plunkett St will remain pedestrianised and footpaths in the town centre will retain their wider footprint.

This temporary measure has been in place since July 2020 to allow for “COVID-19 Town Centre Mobility Measures”.

Killarney Advertiser Survey

The Killarney Advertiser asked readers online "after nearly two years should the current pedestrianisation of Plunkett St (and associated projects) continue or should the town return to its pre-COVID-19 layout".

Some respondents (54.12%) want to keep the current layout while 45.88% want the town centre to return to its pre-pandemic layout.

Chamber Survey

Killarney Chamber of Tourism and Commerce published the results of its extensive ‘Killarney Sentiment Survey’ this week too.

The business body, through research agency Repucon, engaged with locals, business people and visitors through three different, but linked, surveys.

Analysing that research, it would appear the pedestrianisation of Plunkett Street and Main Street in Killarney has been a hit with 58.5% of businesses saying it was effective, 34.0% not agreeing, and 7.5% saying they don’t know.

In the community survey, 72.3% described the pedestrianisation of Plunkett Street as effective, 22.4% did not agree, and 5.3% said they don’t know while, in relation to Main Street, 56.9% of the community respondents thought pedestrianisation was effective, 37.1% didn’t agree, and 6.1% had no opinion.

Under a separate survey question 38.0% would be in favour of introducing pedestrianisation all year round, 36.5% said they would prefer to continue with the current level of car free zones, and 25.5% were in favour of removing it altogether.

In related matters, 55.9% of business responses were in favour of the decision to increase the width of footpaths in the town centre during the pandemic, 34.4% were against and 9.7% didn’t know.

In the community survey responses, 57.1% were in favour of wider pavements, 36.8% were opposed and 6.0% didn’t give an opinion.

For more on the extensive 'Killarney Sentiment Survey' turn to page 12.