Car free day will cost €2m, warn businesses

BUSINESSES have reacted angrily to proposals to block cars coming into the city centre for three consecutive days later this month, claiming it could cost them €2 million in lost sales.

Cork Business Association’s (CBA) newly appointed chief executive, Donal Healy, said that proposals to hold European Car Free Day over three days this year — from September 22 to 24 — was “a step too far” and his 200-plus members would suffer.

Over the past couple of years the event has been held for just one day a year and is aimed at showing people they can access cities throughout the continent without using their cars.