WINDMILL ROAD IN NEED OF SUPPORT
THE residents of Drogheda’s most congested ‘ lane’ have begun a campaign with a simple message to the council and councillors - please listen to us!
The Windmill Road is packed with cars day and night and the majority of those parking there don’t even live on the street.
But residents want the issues with pay parking to be the catalyst for real change within their community.
‘ This can’t be ignored anymore and if we work on it now, it will ease things in the future for people who live here,’ resident Caroline Gormley stated.
Those living on the Windmill Road or Windmill Lane to give it it’s exact title, and the nearby Anneville Crescent met last week to raise a huge number of issues in relation to the present situation. They intend to meet again this week and outline the details of what they are calling for.
Various calls have been made, including raising the pay parking charge to match the hospital or get the hospital to reduce their costs.
The flow of the one-way system could be reversed and pay parking may become seven day.
It is also felt that a maximum of one hour parking might also help the situation.
‘Ultimately, we will need the HSE’s involvement too to help this ,’ Caroline stated.
Efforts are being made to arrange a meeting between the residents, the county council and the gardai.
Already a petition is gathering pace and it will be handed in to the council.
A group will also attend the next meeting of the municipal council to highlight their plight.
‘ The area around the hospitals in Dublin were made residents only and we feel that should also be introduced here,’ Caroline stated.
‘People who don’t live on the street don’t know what it’s like so it’s a matter of highlighting our case. We need the support of everyone to make this work.’
They say this is a campaign that won’t be dying down because they’ll only have a narrow window before the reintroduction of pay parking to state their concerns.
‘Once the bye-laws are back, that’s it and we won’t be able to do anything.
‘With the new extension to the hospital, the area is only going to get a lot busier and we are the ones that will have to put up with that.’