Bettystown will lose out to Termonfeckin if cars banned
CLLR Paddy Meade says that Bettystown’s loss will be Termonfeckin’s gain if the beach in the seaside town is not re-opened to cars.
He says that having cars on the beach in Bettystown is a ‘selling point’ for people to go there.
‘ Tourism will be destroyed if parking is stopped on the beach.
‘People will go to places like Termonfeckin, so I’d advise the people in the Forge Field and Madden’s service station to be prepared for an influx of people,’ he stated.
He says he can’t believe the fact that taking cars off the beach could even be considered or be proposed in the first place.
‘We are the third biggest town in Meath and we don’t have public toilets at the moment. That’s indecent for locals and visitors. We are not age friendly,’ he stated.
He added that a huge draw for older people was the chance to drive down to the beach in the mornings and enjoy the view or go for a walk. The closed beach badly impacts on them.
There is also a major new library and centre being built at the entrance to the beach, but without parking. ‘If they keep the beach closed to parking, it will take up all the spaces for shoppers and kill a lot of businesses in the town, We don’t know how many will re-open after COVID-19 restrictions so we have to give them every chance by providing as many car parking spaces as possible and the beach is the perfect place. It has to be used, there’s nowhere else,’ he stated.
He says he has contested a number of issues with the Beach Management Plan and keeping parking was one of them.
‘If we close the beach long term to parking, that puts allowing horses to exercise in doubt and that could mean the end of the Laytown Races too. We have to think about the bigger picture here and save tourism and local shops and services.
‘ There has been talk of parking and walking from various locations, but if a shower of rain comes, where do these people go. People can’t be expected to walk long distances with children. That’s not fair when you have access to parking on the beach.
‘I believe there’s even talk of banning the ice cream sellers from the beach. What will Bettystown then have to offer people?’
Fianna Fail Councillor, Stephen McKee, is calling on Meath County Council to provide the necessary car-parking space and to implement a total ban on cars parking on Meath beaches.
‘ There is a long-term aspiration for a car-free beach in the Beach Management Plan, but I would like to see this become a reality much sooner,’ he stated.
‘It needs to be done however in a very planned way and exemptions would have to be made for those with special needs and diabilities who need to be able to continue to have beach access. We need to make sure that these people are not forgotten about in this debate and that they are in fact prioritised when considering how best this can be done.’
SEE PAGES 14 & 15