Fears for future of Greystones station
ENTIRE GROUND FLOOR AVAILABLE TO RENT
GREYSTONES railway station has gone on the commercial rental market, with a €50,000 per-year price-tag.
According to commercial property agent Lisney, the prospective tenant will need to apply for change of use for the premises.
The full ground floor area of 208 square metres is available to let.
At the time of going to press, Irish Rail had not responded to a query about what plans are in place for access to the station.
The letting agents say that the space is ‘suitable for a variety of commercial uses, potential coffee shop/bar/restaurant premises (subject to planning).’
The first floor is in residential use and occupied by a tenant and is not included in the letting.
The property was built in 1885 and is listed as a protected structure under The Record of Protected Structures Wicklow Council Area.
Interested parties are invited to submit proposals by Friday, November 24 at 1 p.m.
Cllr Nicola Lawless said that she is concerned over the impact this will have on commuters in the district.
‘Our train station as we know it will be gone, commuters will no longer be able to access the platforms through the main entrance. It has been suggested that the night time entrance by the bicycle racks, or possibly the one on Bow Lane, will be the new entrance.
‘ The station in Greystones will then become fully automated and it will no longer be manned,’ she said. ‘We must consider commuters with disabilities and how this will affect them and how it will impact their experience of using public transport. In June, Irish Rail stated that four hours’ notice would be necessary for anyone needing the ramp to access the train but with the station becoming unmanned it will revert back to 24-hour notice.’
Cllr Jennifer Whitmore has written to the CEO of Irish Rail to seek clarity on the issue.
‘I raised this issue previously with Irish Rail and was assured that the station would not be fully de-manned. However, following the recent advertisement of the station as “for rent”, the issue has raised it’s head again.’