A TRAFFIC CORDON will be in place from 3pm across parts of Dublin on Wednesday, 22 May ahead of the Europa League final in the Aviva Stadium.

The Lansdowne Road Dart Station will also close from 4pm for security reasons.

The Europa League is the second biggest European football event and the final will take place at 8pm between German club Bayer Leverkusen and Italian side Atalanta.

Xabi Alonso’s Bayer Leverkusen are on course to go the entire season unbeaten in all competitions.

Ahead of the game, Dublin City Council said “established match practices at the Aviva Stadium and surrounding areas” will differ due to the magnitude of the match.

A traffic cordon will be in place from 3pm at the following locations, with all closures controlled by gardaí:

•Lansdowne Road – both sides from Northumberland Road to Herbert Road

•Shelbourne Road – both sides from Ballsbridge to Bath Avenue

•Bath Avenue – both sides from Londonbridge Road to Shelbourne Road

•Newbridge Avenue / Herbert Road / Lansdowne Lane from Northumberland Road to Shelbourne Road

•Lansdowne Park    

Access will be maintained for residents “in so far as it is safe to do so” but it may be necessary to exclude all traffic from the above roads if the number of pedestrians is such that it would be unsafe to allow for vehicle access.

This may occur before the match, but also afterwards when fans are leaving the Aviva.

Due to the potential for extra time and penalties, it is possible the game could be played until close to 11pm.

Meanwhile, Lansdowne Road Dart Station will close from 4pm on Wednesday due to security reasons.

Dart services will continue as scheduled but passengers will have to disembark at either Grand Canal Dock or Sandymount stations during these times.

A shuttle bus for people with a mobility impairment will operate between Sandymount Dart Station and the Sandymount Hotel.

Meanwhile, Shelbourne Park Greyhound Stadium and RDS Simmonscourt will be the locations for the two Fan Meeting Points, which are designated areas for ticketed fans of each finalist team to congregate before the match and move to the Aviva in unison.  

Atalanta have been assigned to the RDS Simmonscourt, while Bayer Leverkusen fans will head for Shelbourne Park.

The official Europa League Final Fan Festival will also take place in Dublin Castle from 11am-10pm on Tuesday and from 10am-5pm on Wednesday.

The Fan Festival will include a Europa League trophy photo opportunity, live music, and food and drink stands.

It is a free and non-ticketed event which is open to everyone.

An almost three-metre high replica of the Europa League Trophy will also be installed on North Earl Street, close to the junction with O’Connell Street and will be in place from Monday until Wednesday.

There will be a major garda security operation in Dublin around the final, but the policing operation may be easier than it otherwise could have been given the finalists.

Bayer Leverkusen overcame Roma in the semi-final, while Atalanta beat French side Marseille.

Both beaten semi-finalists have significant hooligan followings, and it is understood there were concerns among gardaí about possible violence had the finalists been different.

Another key facet of the operation will be the Garda National Public Order Unit and there has been extensive training of new members for the unit.

They have also received new, smaller round public order shields and pepper spray – it is hoped that this will make the gardaí more mobile during riot situations.

Written by Diarmuid Pepper and posted on TheJournal.ie