Extra parking spaces required for Enfield

AN EXTRA 100 parking spaces are required in Enfield for commuters, according to Colr William Carey who recently completed a survey with local Gardai on commuter parking.

According to the Enfield councillor, 25 commuters are using the former ESB car-park, 30 cars are parked at New Inn estate, 25 are parking in Moyfenrath estate and 20 are parking on the Main Street or in private car-parks.

And the shortage of commuter parking is set to get worse because, according to Colr Carey, the car-park at the front of the former ESB premises that was recently purchased by the OPW will be closed off in the near future with the loss of 25 spaces.

Colr Carey said the OPW has taken possession of the building it purchased from the ESB and his information is that a barrier would be erected to close off the front car-park in the near future.

He said the closure of the former ESB car-park would increase the pressure for parking and is calling on Irish Rail to expedite plans for a new car-park at Enfield Railway Station as quickly as possible.

He also said that Meath County Council is willing to spend money tidying up a yard at the station that would provide 40 extra spaces in the interim but that Irish Rail had not agreed to this.

"100 spaces are needed and Meath County Council is prepared to spend €20,000 cleaning up the railway station yard to use for parking but Irish Rail won't give them the go-ahead because Enfield is on the list for a new car-park next year."

He said that, when completed, the car-park would provide 200 spaces but that this would not be until next year. He also said if Irish Rail allowed Meath County Council to spend the money, it would provide an extra 40 spaces straight away.

"There is a crisis looming. The situation is getting worse," he said, adding, there were also three bus companies that serviced Enfield but that none of them were providing any car-parking for commuters. "These companies are moving hundreds of commuters every morning but are providing nowhere for them to park.

Colr Carey said that businesspeople were complaining that people were parking on the street all day and that customers can't get parking outside premises.

The Enfield councillor also said he had written to Transport Minister Noel Dempsey to ask him to expedite the new railway station car-park as quickly as possible and said he is also asking the County Manager to contact Irish Rail and that Deputy Damien English would be raising the matter in the Dail.