The Dublin Chamber of Commerce has called for the starting route of the Tour de France to be altered to allow traders access to the city during the race weekend next month.
The body's chief executive, Mr Noel Carroll, said the Tour organisers "could not have picked a better route for causing disruption to business". He said it was not too late to change the course for the prologue - the opening time trial - which "locks traders out of the city".
He was speaking after a meeting with Dublin Corporation yesterday to discuss road closures in the city for the event.
More than 30 Dublin traders attended, including Arnotts, Marks & Spencer and Easons, lodging complaints at the extent of the closures and the lack of vehicular access to the city centre during race weekend. Brown Thomas said it could lose hundreds of thousands of pounds because of the disruption.
Mr Carroll stressed that "business people are not anti-Tour de France; we are pro-access. It's the absolute nature of the road closures we object to."
On Saturday, July 11th, no vehicles will be allowed within the prologue route, which covers O'Connell Street, College Green, Nassau Street, Merrion Square, Fitzwilliam Square, Leeson Street, St Stephen's Green, Cuffe Street, Kevin Street, Patrick Street, Nicholas Street and Ormond Quay. The closures come into force from 8 a.m. although the time trial does not start until 3 p.m. Further city centre road closures will apply between midnight on Friday, July 10th, and noon on Sunday, July 12th.
The chamber is to meet on Monday to discuss how it can advance its campaign to increase access for traders. Mr Carroll said he was not confident of progress.
"It seems to be cast in stone at this stage. The corporation and Garda are doing the best they can but the decision has been made for them," he said.
