Cork City travel is about to get cheaper and faster.

After a false start and a public outcry from city retailers over lost footfall in March, the afternoon bus priority corridor will be reintroduced in St. Patrick’s St. on August 9th.

From that date, access to St. Patrick’s St. will be limited to buses, taxis, emergency vehicles, pedestrians and cyclists from 3pm to 6.30pm each day.

This time around, Cork city centre’s CORE Group, representing Cork Chamber, Cork Business Association, Cork Hospitality Alliance, Bus Eireann, Gardaí, the retail sector and members of Cork City Council, are sure they’ve corrected any earlier issues.

The re-introduction of the bus priority corridor is being accompanied by a series of measures to improve and encourage access to the city centre.

These include:

• A network of 26 set down parking spaces is being established on South Mall, Grand Parade, Parnell Place, Drawbridge and Cornmarket St to facilitate shoppers and visitors.
• From August 9th, half price parking will be offered at Paul Street and North Main Street Car Parks from 1pm to 6.30pm.
• The opening hours of the city’s Park And Ride service will be extended to between 7am and 8pm. The Park And Ride will be free of charge from 12 noon
• Reduced bus fares will be available from August 9th.
• Passengers on the northbound 203 and 215 buses will also be stopping on St. Patrick’s St. for the first time.
• The Park And Ride service will be extended into the city centre. There will be additional stops at Merchants Quay, St Patrick’s St, Grand Parade and South Mall to improve connectivity between the Park and Ride and city centre.

According to the Council, even in the short period in which the changes operated in March/April last, bus journey times showed decreases of up 28% and car journey times in the city centre also showed significant improvements.

Faster travel and cleaner air? We’re willing to give it a shot.