Laytown parking plans advance as calls grow for Bettystown station

Irish Rail has backed a proposed 250-space park-and-ride expansion in principle, while a local councillor is renewing calls for a new station to serve growing east Meath

Plans to expand parking at Laytown Train Station have moved a step closer, as renewed calls are being made for a new station in Bettystown to meet the growing public transport needs of east Meath.

Fine Gael councillor Sharon Tolan has welcomed confirmation that Irish Rail supports the principle of expanding park-and-ride facilities at Laytown, with an initial phase proposing approximately 250 additional parking spaces.

The proposal would also include improved access arrangements and better pedestrian connections to the station.

Cllr Tolan said the written confirmation from Irish Rail provides a route towards the next stage of development, with coordination meetings expected to involve Irish Rail, Meath County Council, the National Transport Authority (NTA) and other stakeholders.

However, technical and design work, assessments and agreements must still be completed before planning proposals can progress.

The announcement comes amid ongoing concerns about parking capacity at Laytown Station, where commuters have faced difficulties finding spaces.

Earlier this month, councillors renewed calls for Meath County Council to work with Irish Rail and the NTA to facilitate a park-and-ride facility or identify sites for additional commuter parking.

Meanwhile, Fianna Fáil councillor Stephen McKee is calling for a new train station in Bettystown, arguing that the area's population growth is placing increasing pressure on existing stations at Laytown and Drogheda.

Cllr McKee said he has written to the Minister for Transport, the NTA and Irish Rail to pursue the proposal, with a potential site at Narroways Road identified and zoned for a station in the county development plan.

He said the NTA had previously committed to initiating a feasibility study into a Bettystown station, but that the project had not progressed further.

Cllr McKee believes a new station could provide residents with better access to employment, education and services, while easing pressure on neighbouring stations and reducing car dependency.

He has also suggested that improved rail access could help reduce traffic travelling through Julianstown, where congestion is a longstanding concern.

The proposals come as the wider DART+ programme advances, although the projects are at different stages.

Minister for Transport Darragh O’Brien marked the commencement of major enabling works for DART+ West at Dunboyne on Monday. The initial works involve lowering tracks at two bridges between Hansfield and M3 Parkway to facilitate future electrification.

DART+ Coastal North, which will extend the electrified DART network from Malahide to Drogheda, received planning approval in August 2025. Following the resolution of a legal challenge, its Railway Order became live in December 2025.

The National Development Plan's transport investment programme anticipates that construction could begin on elements of DART+ Coastal North from 2028, subject to funding. Supporting infrastructure could include track passing loops and a new platform at Drogheda Station.

The proposed Laytown parking expansion and the call for a Bettystown station are separate local proposals. Both raise questions about how station access and supporting infrastructure will meet demand as rail capacity increases along the northern line.