Congestion highlighted at busy Mayo train station car park

COMMUNITY NOTES: BALLYHAUNIS - WESTERN PEOPLE (NOVEMBER 12 EDITION)

Congestion at Ballyhaunis Railway Station has grabbed the attention of Minister Dara Calleary TD who has called upon Irish Rail to include Ballyhaunis Train Station on their Car Park Strategy Report for 2025.

He said: “Ballyhaunis is a very busy station and car parking facilities onsite are not at all adequate. Quite often intending passengers are unable to access the car park and when they can, they are faced with having to reverse out of the facility onto the main road. It is a road safety and a health and safety hazard.

“Following representation to Irish Rail, I have been assured that the matter is being raised with the Programme Manager for inclusion in the Car Park Strategy Report which I understand will be updated in 2025 to take account of usership and emerging preferred travel options...”

Local Cllr Alma Gallagher said businesses located on Abbey Street have expressed “deep concern” to her about the lack of car parking outside their business premises as train passengers are forced to park for long durations on Abbey Street.

“This is seriously disrupting business operations on Abbey Street with no available parking for their customers. Residents in Abbey Vale [housing estate] have also been inconvenienced with the overflow of passengers parking outside their homes.”

New train services have lifted passenger numbers at Ballyhaunis station, noted Cllr Gallagher.

“With Ballyhaunis now designated as a Sustainable Energy Community, I am now calling on the Minister to ensure that the expansion of car parking facilities will include appropriate electric vehicle charging points coupled with bike rails reflecting Ballyhaunis’s commitment to sustainable travel. We need to put serious consideration into the utility of the yard at the station adjacent to the station car park.”

Retired Irish Rail employee and general election candidate Patsy O’Brien told this column that there is ample space for an expansion of parking facilities at the Ballyhaunis station. To use a large yard adjacent to the current parking space, Irish Rail will however have to fence off access to the train tracks while facilitating access for trucks delivering ballast to a materials storage site behind the station.