CARS will no longer be allowed to cut through a small street outside the Milk Market on Saturdays, after a motion was passed by a Limerick City and County Council transport committee.
This Monday, Solidarity councillor Cian Prendiville proposed that all streets surrounding the popular marketplace, where traders set up stalls, should be closed to cars during Saturday trading times.
The motion passed by the Travel and Transportation Strategic Policy Committee relates to the Ellen Street Extension, a small street between the Watergate flats and the Milk Market.
Cllr Prendiville said that the practice of cutting through the market had prompted a number complaints from traders and locals.
“It is dangerous to have cars going back and forth on that road while people are shopping, this is a two way road as well, but it is simply not possible to have two lanes of traffic driving through the middle of the market. It just puts people off going to that side of the market.”
The council informed Cllr Prendiville that the Casual Trading Bye-Laws allow the authority to prohibit passing of traffic through this street, “but the problem is one of enforcement”, he said.
Now, Cllr Prendiville has been informed, a new environmental licensing inspector will be appointed and that the area will be closed to traffic “during the appropriate times on Saturdays”.
“I welcome this announcement, it is ridiculous that cars were allowed cut right through the market stalls in the first place, and that it has taken over six months, campaigning, and a motion to get the council to fix the problem. The Milk Market is a real highlight of the city, and much more should be done to encourage and develop it. Hopefully this can be a start, and can help make the market even nicer and more enjoyable for people,” he said on Monday evening.
The Casual Trading Bye-Laws aims to restrict access to the trading areas, between 4am and 4pm, on Saturday.
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