Formal call to scrap St Patrick’s St car ban

Under-fire Cork city officials are facing a formal call to suspend the controversial afternoon car ban on St Patrick’s St.

Fianna Fáil councillor Ken O’Flynn broke ranks with his party last night and tabled a motion calling for the traffic initiative to be suspended in the immediate interests of “jobs, confidence, and the national image of Cork”.

The motion, which will be discussed at a full council meeting next Monday, emerged after a lengthy meeting of the council’s roads committee and ahead of a traders’ meeting on the issue tomorrow night.