Car-parking hours increase outlined

PROPOSALS to increase two-hour car parks to three hours in Ennis in a bid to generate more business for the town have been outlined by Ennis Town Council.

The plan is part of draft parking bylaws outlined to members of the council this week and set to go on public display for submissions from members of the public. All two-hour car park locations would be increased to three hours under the new plan.

According to town clerk Leonard Cleary, while previous parking legislation addressed the need for a turnover of spaces, “the proposal to increase from two-hour to three-hour parking is to facilitate business being retained in the town and try and get people to stay in the town”.

Also at the meeting, it was confirmed the construction work on the coach-parking facility at Friars’ Walk car park is due to begin this week and is expected to be completed by early October.

The draft bylaws include bylaws dealing with the bus park, car park and on-street parking.

In relation to the bus park, it is proposed to provide 10 spaces for bus parking only in Friars’ Walk. Parking will be permitted 24 hours a day, Monday to Sunday. There is also provision for a tow-away system for unauthorised vehicles.

According to Mr Cleary, any unauthorised vehicles parked in the coach park would be towed to the next available space.

Under the draft car park bylaws, it is proposed to remove 39 spaces from Friars Walk to facilitate the bus park. Sixteen new spaces are to be added to the Glór car park in lieu of three bus bays.

For both car park and on-street parking, the proposals also include that the method of payment for parking would include pay and display credit machines and pay by phone parking.

The draft bylaws also include a clause allowing for the suspension of parking charges on special occasions and reduced parking fees for the promotion of retail activity, both in car parks and for on-street parking.

Two spaces are to be reserved for electric car-charging points with two-hour parking, one space in Glór car park and one in Abbey Street Car Park, with no fee to be charged.

In relation to on-street bylaws, parking on Cloughleigh Road will allow for 36 spaces with four-hour parking. Cottage Gardens, Station Road will have seven spaces at a two-hour location, parking at Lifford Road, Kelly’s Corner, will be 11 spaces with a two-hour location. Parking at Simms’ Lane is proposed to be amended from a two-hour location to a four-hour location.