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Unanimous vote for Patrick St car ban cooling off period

Friday, 20 April 2018 20:32

The Patrick St car ban will be suspended until August 9th.

"The sun is shining in Cork again". 

That was the reaction of one trader after councillors unanimously voted to suspend the Patrick St car ban. 

It was the talk of the town for the past three weeks with traders threatening to withhold payment of rents, march on City Hall and protest if the move wasn't reversed. 

Many claimed their trade had been decimated by declining footfall as a result of the ban. Others said they were considering cutting staff and reducing their hours.

A special meeting of City Council was called tonight amid mounting anger and the resolution put to councillors was;

"Cork City Council will pause the programme which introduced the priority bus corridor on St. Patrick's Street from 3.00pm to 6.30pm daily until August 9th to allow for:

  • A comprehensive promotional campaign for the city centre to be undertaken in conjunction with the business stakeholder community and 
  • A significant engagement to increase awareness of the City Centre Movement Strategy and its role in addressing pressing traffic congestion issues and the viable functioning of the city and its centre into the future"

All 28 councillors present voted in favour of the resolution. 

Cllr Kieran McCarthy said he was disillusioned that his amendment to the resolution was turned down. 

Speaking to RedFM News he said, "I would actually like to have more control of the situation especially if the stakeholder consultation doesn't work."

As part of Cllr McCarthy's amendment a meeting would take place at the end of the July if traders were still unhappy with the process and what is being built into the new program for the 9th of August. 

"I was told the meeting was going to happen anyway but from my experience here over the last nine years here is that when its on paper and when its bedding in as a resolution it's much better," he said. 

A process of consultation will take place in the coming months with councillors pledging better communication and inclusion of traders in the decision making process for the any changes that are being made as part of the City Centre Movement Strategy. 

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