Can Northern Ireland host the open?

First topic message reminder :

Following on from an earlier Diggers post, where the question of holding an Open (probably at Port Rush) was mentioned. Now I was doing a little research into the viability of this and yes, I know that you’re going to say that ‘the infrastructure is not there’. But, in my view I think that such a proposal is not that far off.

I believe 184,000 folk attended the St Georges venue; say an average 46,000 per day, now not all of these travelled by car, but for arguments sake let’s say 75% did with an average occupancy rate of 2 persons per car that makes 17,000 trips. The capacity of a conventional 7.3 metre road is about 1500 to 2000 passenger car units (pcu’s) per lane, per hour assuming free flow and relatively clear roads. I would suggest that with suitable traffic management measures together with good policing, particularly at arrival and exiting points, that the existing highway infrastructure may well already be there.

I understand that there is a mixture of good dual carriageways, decent single carriageway and some poor roads in the area, people will arrive early some later and some will be there for the duration. Yes, it would mean that the roads would be very busy particularly if everyone intended to arrive at the venue at the same time and yes there would, of course, need to be some improvements to the arterial highway network(s) especially where it bottle necks but this situation arises where and whenever an extraordinary event occurs especially in a rural environment within England, Scotland and Wales too. The above figures assume that all visitors will be using the same highway when in reality a large proportion will emanate locally.

Just my thoughts; I just don’t think that the infrastructure argument although valid is insurmountable especially where it relates to the highway and access issues.

Not that I'm an expert in the matter - far from it, but managing traffic into the Royal County Down in the middle of July could prove to be very difficult.

Don't worry Liver, Leinster can get a quart into a pint pot, and if he says it can be done, then it must be true.

Mercurio wrote:

gaelgowfer wrote: Indeed, by way of example, isn't the Lough Erne resort just to the north of Portrush

Errrr, I think that's Atlantis!

Oops, apologies to the northern irish ... I got that horribly wrong.

On looking at the map, I realise I'd also forgotten about Londonderry. Wouldn't it be able to cope with any accommodation issues?

Its not called Londonderry

One more mistake and you are out.

Call it hypen city thats the safest thing