Trader shit out at pedestrian plan

July 1981

Wexford traders have continued their criticism of the Corporation’s wish to maintain the trial period of pedestrianisation on Main Street, with the allegation that the local authority is ‘doing its best to stop people shopping in town’.

They warned that the town centre ‘would begin to decay as an important shopping venue’ if cars continue to be banned from Main Street, and stated that their utmost concern was Wexford’s widespread reputation as a good shopping town.

A spokesman for the traders said that they did not want a situation created whereby it would be attractive for someone to establish an out-oftown shopping centre.

‘We don’t want that,’ he said, ‘ but that could very likely happen. People just don’t want to come downtown with the traffic situation the way it is at the moment.’

He stressed that the majority of traders would be in favour of pedestrianisation if adequate, convenient car parking was made available. He pointed to a number of small yards situated between the Main Street and the quays, which could be developed into car parks. ‘Granted, they’re small,’ he said. ‘But they could be used.’

He also criticised the Corporation and the Traffic Management Committee for their decision to ‘renege on their original agreement’ with the traders. ‘ They agreed that if we didn’t want it, they wouldn’t continue it, but now they are persisting with an extension of six months,’ he said.

The trial period of pedestrianisation on Main Street is losing shops there valuable business, and he could not foresee circumstances where that situation would ever change, he said.