A car ban will be in place in Dublin city’s College Green within four weeks – and it is proving hugely controversial.

The peak-time prohibition will be brought into effect on July 27 by the city council’s Transport 21 office. The ban means that only buses and taxis will be allowed to pass through the College Green area from 7am-10am and from 4pm-7pm from Monday-Friday. Drivers of private cars will have to find alternative routes.

The concept was given the nod when councillors voted 15 to 12 in favour of the proposals back in May. It is expected that the council will distribute information leaflets on the 24 public car parks in the area including a map of the city centre and alternative routes motorists can take.

However, the move is causing controversy not just because of the potential inconvenience, but because of the impact it could have on shopping in the city centre. One estimate has put job losses at 2,500 and predicted a loss of revenues in the region of €200million.

Chief executive of Dublin’s Chamber of Commerce Gina Quinn has also criticised the initiative stating that it was “due to happen as part of an overall plan for the build out of Metro North and the joining of the two Luas lines in the city centre”.

However, these measures have not been put into place yet.