Residents threaten to block access to Cork shopping centre in fresh bus gate row

Residents have threatened to block cars accessing one of Ireland’s busiest shopping centres in a fresh row over the operation of a bus gate.

People living close to MahonPoint shopping centre on the southside of Cork city say the sensor-controlled barrier which is designed to facilitate only buses driving in and out of the shopping centre site was “commandeered” over Christmas to ease car park congestion. They say the bus gate’s sensors were blocked to ensure its barrier remained open and that it was done deliberately to allow cars exit the car park at busy times.