A number of local traders are hitting out at plans to retain Kilkenny city’s one way system.
Five of the seven elected city representatives voted in favour of keeping the measure last Friday with a number of changes.
They include a change in direction for traffic on High Street and Rose Inn Street.
Independent Eugene McGuinness was against this with the Green’s Maria Dollard abstaining.
Of nine written submissions to the county council just one sought a return to the two-way flow.
That was from the Kilkenny City Business Association which says it has the support of about 140 outlets.
This morning on KCLR Live Des Manning explained that the majority of the business community want the one way system to revert to two-way:
“We went into all the shops in Kilkenny, on High Street, John Street, Rose Inn Street and Friary Street, you name it. And it was overwhelmingly one way, if you like. The position was that people didn’t want this continued any longer and that it should be reverted back to the two-way as was promised to all the traders who at the beginning of covid allowed this to happen”
Gary Graham says it’s disappointing for those businesses who represent over 1,000 staff between them:
“As a group we feel that it is keeping our customers out of the city because they cannot access the city from any direction at their own convenience”
Senior Engineer with the local authority Ian Gardiner says not all of the local business community share that opinion, but he says all views will be heard:
“Instead of the normal public consultation process, where we produce plans and then advertise them, this time around we’re going to have early stakeholder engagement where we’ll invite everybody around the table, including traders to see what is their vision for Kilkenny city”
You can listen back below to the discussion on KCLR Live this morning
