Garda Station expansion means changes to car park facility

THE car park - known as Murdock’s - and opposite the entrance to Drogheda Garda Station is to cease being a public facility from Monday October 7th.

Louth County Council operate a number of car parks in Drogheda under licence from the OPW including the facility at Father Connolly Way known as Murdock’s car park, but theOPW have advised that the parking area is to be allocated to An Garda Síochána.

This decision is necessary to facilitate construction works that are to commence shortly at the Drogheda Garda Station, which will see it expanded and therefore the spaces within the station grounds will be lost.

Mayor Paul Bell says that the move was flagged some time ago and the reason he put forward suggestions last year to increase the size of the car parks on the Donore Road and at Mell, and at the same time keeping them free of charge.

‘Unfortunately the actions of some councillors meant the issue was not addressed, but I want to see it done. In this case, I feel the garda station extension should be accommodated because we need a full service here,’ he stated.

Independent Councillor Kevin Callan said the loss of parking facilities ‘ should not be permanent’ and needs to be reviewed on the basis that the town centre is losing far too many locations.

He said that the location of what ‘could effectively be a private car park’ will prevent the public at any future date from being able to view the largest surviving section of the town wall.

Cllr Callan has sought clarification from the OPW and Louth County Council as to what the long term objective is and also to clarify if disabled parking will be made available immediately beside the car park.

‘We also have a very heavily used recycling facility that will now have to be relocated. I have asked Louth County Council to identify a location and this is currently being done,’ he added.