KILDARE: No temporary car park for Naas despite road works delays
A temporary car park has been ruled out for Naas despite disruption caused by road works at Kilcullen Road and works due to take place at Ballymore Road.
A number of councillors asked what KCC intended to do to deal with the inconvenience and
any possible loss of business to retailers in the area.
Cllr Fintan Brett said a lot of work is taking place and there are many businesses in the area. He predicted that traffic levels would rise in the winter months.
He said action needs to be taken to show business owners that their concerns are being taken into account by the council
He added the use of the Fairgreen as a temporary car park would only be temporary for a few months.
He also said that there is likely to be similar disruption when the reconstruction of Corban’s Lane and Murtagh’s Corner takes place to accommodate more pedestrians and cyclists.
He predicted there will be “pushback” against this project if the council is not seen to address the inconvenience created by existing projects.
Bill Clear told a Naas Municipal District meeting that the Fairgreen can accommodate the cirque and other attractions.
He commented that the circus camels ate trees planted there by the Naas Tidy Towns group.
“If the camels can be facilitated this can be accommodated.”
Cllr Seamie Moore said that if parking places are not provided people will bring their business elsewhere.
But not all of the councillors were in favour with Cllr Anne Breen commenting that it is an amenity area and should not be turned into a temporary car park.
And Cllr Bob Quinn said he did not want “one square inch” used as a car park.
He said it is used as an amenity at all times of the day and night.
Instead he suggested that the car park spaces near the boxing club should be charged for on an hourly basis - rather than as an all day parking venue, as it currently is.
“If we want to entice customers it should be available on an hourly basis.
Kildare County Council engineer Donal Hodgins said the council is liaising with traders directly on construction issues and although there may be temporary impacts, the works are being positively received.
He also said there is significant existing public car parking in the area already.
“Furthermore, because of the temporary traffic management arrangements, non-stopping through-traffic was rerouted away from the Kilcullen Road leaving accessibility for patrons of businesses relatively unaffected and the promotion of the active travel scheme has also encouraged more pedestrian activity in the area,” he said.
He also said that additional car parking would not be something that the National Transport Authority can support as part of the scheme.
He said the overall project will “contribute to revitalisation of the public realm of the area and act as a gateway to Naas.”
There will be complaints, he said, likening this to breaking eggs to make an omelette.
Mr Hodgins also said that by the time the temporary park cars would be ready to use the works would have finished.
He added that no money is available for a temporary car park but the car park places near the boxing club and behind this near the school “are a long term solution.”
KCC official Eoghan Ryan said he has visited the area on a number of occasions and saw some 14 car park spaces empty within 14-15 metres of the area. He also said that planning permission would be required for a temporary facility and this would take three months.He also said the project would entail drainage, signage and lighting.
It was decided that an hourly rate of €2 will now apply as opposed to daily rate of €6.