Safety concerns raised over Ballina car park ‘entrance’

Safety concerns have been raised over an unofficial 'second entrance' to the Market Square car park in Ballina, with councillors warning that pedestrians are being put at risk as cars cross the footpath to access the car park.

Cllr Jarlath Munnelly raised the issue at the recent meeting of Ballina Municipal District, calling for the entrance to be closed and traffic restricted to the main entrance opposite Heffernan’s Fine Foods.

The second entry point in the car park is located around 20 metres down from the main entrance, close to Tesco, where recent improvement works have increased pedestrian access to the store from the far end of the car park.

Cllr Munnelly said he had witnessed the potential danger himself and that concerned residents had brought it to his attention.

“There are people walking across the entrance and cars shooting past it,” he said. “We need to take a look at it. I’d suggest we close it off altogether and have one entrance to the car park.

“There are more pedestrians walking at that end of Tesco now, people might go from there over to Penneys, and cars are coming in off the main road unexpectedly, and we need to address that.” 

Senior executive engineer Theresa Durkin confirmed that the council would look into the situation.