Frustrations over 'stupid' lack of car parking spaces in Laois housing estates

Residents of a Portarlington housing estate are "not happy" with the lack of car parking spaces available for them, which has led to problems with cars and vans parking on the green area. 

The local Portarlington councillor, Aidan Mullins, has requested that Laois County Council provide extra parking spaces for the residents of Ballymorris Manor estate after it was brought to his attention by people living there.

Cllr Mullins explained that it is a council estate and when it was built it was a "different era" in regards to the amount of cars each home would own, noting that nowadays most have two or more.

Speaking at the March meeting of the Graiguecullen / Portarlington MD, Cllr Mullins said: "There's a big green area in this estate and vans and cars are parking up on it. Local residents aren't happy with the parking as the committee are trying to keep the estate tidy."

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The Independent councillor urged the council that additional spaces are "badly needed in this estate."

The MD roads office said it will carry out an assessment to determine its need and extent of any civil, drainage or utility requirements and have the works costed. 

They said that when cost estimates have been established, it can then be discussed with Cllr Mullins about how the works may be funded. 

However, the problem with shortages of parking spaces is not unique to the Ballymorris Manor estate. 

Cllr Mullins pointed out another estate in Portarlington which is having similar issues. He said that the Lansdowne estate houses have no designated parking and so residents are forced to park on the footpath which is directly outside their front doors. 

He explained that if someone's neighbour across the way is also parked in front of their home, that the passage left is not wide enough for a car to pass through. 

"That's how stupid it is. It seems to be basic stuff really," Cllr Mullins told the council. 

Cllr Aisling Moran agreed with Cllr Mullins, saying that she has noticed other areas that are experiencing the same issues with car parking spaces. 

She pointed out that the council's assessments are carried out between 9am and 5pm from Monday to Friday when most people are at work and the cars are gone. 

She suggested that going forward, the council should require a minimum of two spaces per household at the planning stages. 

Funded by the Local Democracy Reporting Scheme