Dublin Marathon Organisers Under Pressure to Change Route for 2024
Dublin Marathon May be Forced to Change Route in 2024
Less than a weeek after Ethiopian Kemal Husen ran a world class 2:06:52 winning time in Dublin, it has come to light that race organisers are under pressure to change the route for 2024, particularly around the Start and Finish areas in Merrion Square, and and the surrounding areas
Owen Keegan, Chief Executive of Dublin City Council, along with the National Transport Authority (NTA) are not happy with the “disproportionate adverse impact” the event has on public transport services
Earlier this year, the Dublin Council CEO, and the NTA, looked to have the event moved away from Merrion Square North next year. Arising from this, Jim Aughney, Dublin Marathon Race Director, asked Sports Minister Thomas Byrne to intervene, and help find a new Marathon location in Dublin city centre asserting that that Dublin City Council wanted the Marathon to find "a different place to start and finish the event outside Dublin city for 2024”
Aughney said that the contoversy could threaten demand, participation and economic benefits for the city, adding that the Marathon needed certainty for tour operators, charities and participants, who all needed to book hotel rooms early, and that relocating the marathon would lead to the event losing prestige if the start and finishes were to be moved out, as as most other big-city marathons finish in city centres
On the other hand Council chief appeared to emphase and accentuate the negative, saying that the marathon “has been creating issues for public transport operators for the last number of years”, with up to a quarter of a million commuter are disrupted over a period of up to four days..... without mentioning that the same period is also noted for Dart and rail service disruptions in particular, while maintenance works are carried out each year
The NTA are equally negative, with a bizarre statement, saying “The NTA is very concerned about a potential bridge strike due to the inexperience of new drivers being recruited who would be unfamiliar with the diversional routes”.
The NTA told Sports Minister Byrne that they wanted to maintain access to Merrion Square North on Friday, Saturday and Monday, but the Marathon organisers would only give access on the Friday, as their medical centre need to be constructed. The Marathon organisers countered that this area is only fully closed 17 hours, saying “For the remaining 79 hours, an alternative bus route is provided around Merrion Square, which changes the route by approximately 300 metres”
Dublin City Council, who license the event and are responsible for road closures, was willing to sanction this year’s event provided two traffic lanes were kept open on Merrion Square North on the Friday and the Saturday, to facilitate commuters. The Council was said it was mindful of the benefits of the event, and was very supportive, but had to be conscious of its impact on road network users
After meeting Marathon Race Director Aughney, Minister Byrne wrote to Council CEO Keegan, and NTA CEO Anne Graham last July, encouraging all parties to engage further, and find workable solutions
