Car parking and access to Liffey Valley will be safer and less stressful

THE car park refurbishment at Liffey Valley Shopping Centre is on schedule for completion, with a new BusConnects interchange set to increase connectivity to the retail hub by 50 per cent.

The extensive revamp of the local shopping centre hopes to resolve parking and access issues for both customers and staff, with current works branded ‘long overdue’ by Liffey Valley operators, Hines Ireland.

The major refurbishment of the main car park is due to be completed by the fourth quarter of 2022, making the parking experience at Liffey Valley “easier, safer and less stressful”.

The car park will be resurfaced, realigned and landscaped, with new lighting and walkways installed.

Real-time information will be provided, dedicated electric charging points and more spaces will be available for drivers with a disability or those travelling with toddlers.

According to centre operators, construction is also advancing on a new six-bay BusConnects interchange that will introduce direct-to-the-door transport opportunities.

The interchange, which is due to open in early 2023, will also increase connectivity to the centre by an estimated 50 per cent, according to the National Transport Authority (NTA).

As part of the €30m redevelopment project, 500 new trees, 10,000 plants and shrubs and a major landscaping programme are also included in plans that aim to deliver more sustainable ways to access the 80,000sqm shopping centre.

This is the first such upgrade since Liffey Valley, which employs 2,400 staff members, opened 23 years ago.

A spokesperson for Hines Ireland, operators of Liffey Valley, said that the current refurbishment and public transport connectivity programme has been ‘long overdue’.

“For some time, customers and staff have been telling us parking is an issue at Liffey Valley and this programme of extensive works aims to resolve that,” the spokesperson said.

“Visitor and staff access to Liffey Valley Shopping Centre is going to change very much for the better and with more integrated public transport access, it will be a much easier, safer and less stressful journey coming here.

“This is the first such upgrade carried out since the centre opened 23 years ago and it promises to be a significant transformation.

“We will be greener, more diverse and more sustainable and we will offer the public a wider variety of transport choices in getting to the centre.

“We will allow for more electric vehicles, increase spaces for persons with a disability and put in place a new dedicated network for cyclists.”

The spokesperson added: “However the real game changer will be the new bus interchange, which will bring passengers right up to our doors.

“This will deliver real and sustainable transport options for both customers and indeed staff who can now opt for the bus ahead of the car.

“We’re also making it easier and more attractive for people to get to the centre by foot if within walking distance.

“Our overall aim is to offer people a variety of ways to access us more easily, for it to be a secure and pleasant experience and much more sustainable.”

The new €15m BusConnects interchange facility aims to create a new hub for bus services connecting south and west Dublin, north Kildare and the city centre and will be located in the Liffey Valley Shopping Centre car park, close to the main entrance.

In line with Local Authority guidance and Greater Area Transport Strategy requirements, centre operators have confirmed the introduction of paid parking at Liffey Valley.

A €2.50 charge will apply for the first hour of parking, with the next two hours free.