Mayo town may introduce free parking in January
The annual incentive of free parking for Christmas in public-owned car parks in Westport could be continued into the new year under a controversial proposal by local councillor Peter Flynn.
Last July, Cllr Flynn proposed at a meeting of Westport-Belmullet Municipal District that parking charges be suspended in Westport until substandard surface issues in the James Street and Mill Street car parks were fixed, arguing they posed dangers to the public. He suggested that the novel initiative take effect in October, but at last week's meeting of the authority, Cllr Flynn decided to amend his proposal in light of the appointment of new council management in Westport, namely Joanne Grehan as Director of Services, Seamus O'Mongain as head of the district and Heather Gibbons as area engineer.
Cllr Flynn said he was now proposing that the free parking regime come into effect next January, adding that the delay would allow the new personnel to hopefully finally resolve the issues.
“In fairness, Heather and Joanne, you are both new and have been thrown in at the deep end [so] I will give you time to sort this. I propose, if it is agreeable to members, that in James Street and Mill Street car parks we suspend the charges, continuing after Christmas and into January if this is not sorted.”
The other members agreed with the proposal.
Cllr Flynn added that the council had missed an opportunity to raise funds for improvement works on the James Street car park, after approving planning permission for a hostel development there but absolving the developer from paying any levies.
Meanwhile, councillors were told that safety reasons make it impossible to reverse the enter and exit traffic access points to the James Street car park.
Cllr Brendan Mulroy had sought the change to "stop traffic lapping the town" as motorists sought out car-park spaces.
Local area engineer Heather Gibbons said an access reversal for the James Street car park had been proposed in previous years but was ultimately discounted due to problems with the sight lines and was thus a health and safety issue.
Regarding Sandy Hill, she would request it be taken into consideration in the Westport local transport plan.
