Calls for urgent action on chronic parking shortages along Meath coastline

Mounting frustration over ongoing chronic parking shortages along the Meath coastline dominated a lengthy debate at the April meeting of the Laytown/Bettystown Municipal District, where councillors called for urgent and coordinated action to address the issue.

A motion brought forward by Sinn Féin Cllr Maria White urged Meath County Council to develop and implement a comprehensive plan to tackle the ongoing lack of parking, particularly in the Laytown and Bettystown areas. The proposal included consideration of Compulsory Purchase Orders (CPOs) for land near Laytown Train Station, as well as the potential development of a dedicated park-and-ride facility if suitable lands cannot be secured.

Opening the debate, Cllr White stressed that the issue has been repeatedly raised without meaningful resolution.

“We have all been here many times before. We know the difficulties people are facing, particularly in relation to parking along the coast and especially at Laytown Train Station. We know the constraints involved and we know that more housing developments are coming.”

While acknowledging that responsibility for rail-related parking lies with national bodies, Cllr White said this cannot be used as a justification for inaction.

“The response suggests that responsibility lies with another state agency, such as the National Transport Authority. I fully accept that. But for people living with this issue every day, and for businesses trying to operate and expand, that is not good enough.

“As councillors, we all know we do not have the legal authority to direct the NTA or to construct parking ourselves. However, we do have influence. We can pass motions like this, and we can request that our Chief Executive raises this issue at every possible opportunity with the relevant agencies.

“A feasibility assessment should be undertaken, and there should be direct engagement with transport authorities. We should also have representatives from the NTA attend meetings so we can address these issues directly.

“Laytown is being left behind. Other areas benefiting from rail upgrades are seeing investment in parking infrastructure. That is not fair, and people have had enough," concluded White.

Seconding the motion, Fine Gael Cllr Paddy Meade said the lack of parking is now severely impacting both businesses and accessibility in Laytown.

“There is nothing we could do more for businesses in Laytown than to deliver proper parking. At the moment, Laytown has almost become a no-go area if you want to stop and go into a shop,” he said.

“The train service is a great asset but there should be adequate parking beside it. While we might feel that the rail service providers should be responsible for that parking, I believe that even if the council had to step in and fund it, the return would come through increased commercial rates and stronger local business activity. At the moment, we are effectively choking businesses.”

Cllr Meade also pointed to past planning decisions as contributing factors.

“Looking at Bettystown, there was a beach development plan in place which proposed closing the beach to cars, but only once alternative parking was provided. That alternative was never delivered. During Covid, the beach was closed off, and it was never properly reopened in the way originally intended. That, in my view, was short-term thinking, and we are now dealing with the consequences of that.”

He called for proactive steps to address the issue, including land acquisition.

“We should be actively looking at purchasing land, particularly between Laytown and Julianstown or along that corridor, to accommodate park-and-ride facilities and relieve the pressure on Laytown itself.” Adding to the criticism, Independent Cllr Carol Lennon said the issue has been repeatedly raised at council meetings without any meaningful progress.

“In the meetings we’ve had since I was elected in 2024 — and that’s at least 20 meetings — this issue has been raised every single time,” she said.

“We cannot keep burying our heads in the sand on this.

“We are taking property taxes, we are taking rates, we are actively encouraging people to relocate to our communities — and when they get there, there is nothing for them. No parking at their homes, no parking in their villages, and no parking at the public transport facilities they rely on.”

She called for greater coordination between agencies.

“Whether it’s the NTA, TII, Iarnród Éireann or the council — they all need to be working together. Right now, it’s not being fixed. It needs to be rectified.”

Also speaking, Fianna Fáil Cllr Stephen McKee acknowledged the scale of the issue but stressed the need for stronger engagement with national transport bodies.

“Parking is clearly a fundamental issue, particularly around Laytown Train Station,” he said. “But we also need to be clear about the role of our partners. Major rail projects should include adequate parking provision, and that has to be part of the conversation.”

In its written response, Meath County Council acknowledged that parking at Laytown Train Station is a significant and ongoing issue, but noted that responsibility for rail-related parking primarily rests with national transport bodies.

The council said it must continue to engage with agencies such as the NTA and Iarnród Éireann to ensure that adequate parking provision is included in current and future rail projects, including DART+ Coastal North.

Addressing the meeting, Meath County Council Director of Services Fiona Lawless said the difficulty in Laytown is that existing facilities have not expanded in line with demand, creating ongoing challenges for residents, commuters and local businesses.

She said the council must continue to engage with its partners and “insist” that parking is properly considered as part of current and future rail developments, including DART+ Coastal North.