Kilkenny Chamber president releases letter to members ahead of imminent SUMP vote

The fate of the SUMP will be decided at a special meeting of Kilkenny County Council

Published 29th Jul 2026, 13:30 BST A rendering of potential pedestrianisation of High Street. Image: Kilkenny County Council The fate of the SUMP will be decided at a special meeting of Kilkenny County Council Sign up to our Kilkenny Live newsletter Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know you can manage your profile, and explore all of the available newsletters from Kilkenny Live within your account.

Ahead of the pivotal Kilkenny County Council vote on the city Sustainable Urban Mobility Plan (SUMP) on Wednesday afternoon, Chamber President Claire McInerney Brown has reiterated the organisation’s position in a letter to members.

The Chamber held two meetings in recent weeks where concerns were raised over the potential ramifications of the wide-ranging infrastructure project which could see sweeping changes on how the city centre is accessed.

The plan aims to promote sustainable modes of transport and reduce car dependency but certain sections of the business community have sounded the alarm over negative impacts they believe some aspects of SUMP, including a pilot scheme to pedestrianise High Street, might have on footfall.

Issues have also been raised with the order in which the plan’s steps are to be carried out with some stakeholders being of the opinion that traffic restriction is being done too early and before the upgrades to alternate transport and infrastructure are made.

In her letter Ms McInerney Brown outlined the rationale behind the Chamber’s proposed amendments.

SEE ALSO: Opinion: ​Will Kilkenny City survive and thrive, or sink with the SUMP?

“We undertook a detailed review of the full SUMP documentation, including transport assessments, traffic management proposals, and implementation sequencing,” the letter read.

“Our submission emphasised: The need for clear sequencing of projects, delivery of enabling infrastructure first, protection of business accessibility and logistics continuity, prioritisation of the Ring Road critical infrastructure, avoidance of premature traffic restrictions and requirement for independent economic impact assessments,” she continued.

She expanded on the Chamber’s position of pushing for critical infrastructure to be prioritised before any traffic measures are introduced, explaining the amendment’s advocating for “full delivery of Park & Ride and Park and Park & Stride facilities, bus network enhancements and mobility hubs, junction upgrades and pedestrian crossings.”

Before the vote takes place at County Hall shortly, the Chamber president concluded by reiterating the far-reaching impact the SUMP could have on Kilkenny City.

“A vote will take place today in the Council Chamber on whether to adopt the SUMP, with or without amendments. The Chamber is strongly advocating for an amendment that reflects the concerns of our members and the needs of Kilkenny’s economic engine.”

“The outcome of this vote will have long-term implications for staff mobility, customer access, logistics and supply chain operations, future investment decisions and Kilkenny’s competitiveness as a regional economic centre. Your awareness and support at this moment is important.”