Row-back on street changes
ANGER among Listowel traders over a proposal to remove up to 50 car-parking spaces in the town was allayed on Friday as a scaled-back version of the initial plan went public.
Listowel Municipal District Area Manager John Kennelly said Kerry County Council revised down the number of parking spaces following consultation with traders and representatives last week.
It’s now anticipated that no more than 16 spaces will be lost in total. However, 34 set-down spaces will be in place, with people allowed to park close to their destination shop for free for up to 15 minutes.
The Council’s proposals to temporarily remove up to 50 parking spaces from Church St, William St and the Square (between the AIB and the Listowel Arms Hotel) – in order to allow for the minimum social distancing recommended to keep pedestrians safe from COVID transmission – was met with fury by many town-centre traders.
They feared the loss of the parking spaces would hit their livelihoods like a hammer, just as they are trying to get back on their feet after the lockdown. Customers would simply go elsewhere if unable to park outside their choice of shop.
The changes were as part of the ‘Safe Streets and Safe Destination Programme’ under the Government’s roadmap for a return to business post-lockdown.
Listowel’s Municipal Area councillors were sharply critical of the initial proposal at a meeting on Friday – held amid the ongoing COVID restrictions in the Listowel Community Centre.
But the newly revised measures were described as more ‘palatable’.
Listowel Business and Community Alliance said it accepted the new measures as they have been redrafted –despite the fact the Council did not enact all of the group’s recommendations on the matter.
Fine Gael Clllr Mike Kennelly was critical of the way the proposals came just as businesses were struggling back to their feet: “Traders spent a lot of money getting their businesses COVID safe... and then to come out and tell us that up to 50 parking spaces would be taken!”
Fine Gael Cllr Aoife Thornton said the spaces were ‘critical’: “We’re talking about two to three spaces that could be used multiple times in the course of a day to represent up to 100 spaces in reality.”
She said the Council should not have been looking at such extensive measures at this juncture: “I think it’s practical that you don’t go to your most stringent measures at a time of the least footfall in town... I do welcome the set-down areas... I think the proposal is now palatable.”
Chairperson of Listowel Municipal District Jimmy Moloney (Fianna Fáil) reiterated his deep concern over the way the Council was enacting the programme through the use of emergency road legislation – keeping elected members out of the decision-making process.
“I have deep concerns that our role is being diminished. You are using an emergency to circumnavigate our role,” he said. He also described the acquisition of 34 15-minute setdown areas as ‘ a good result in a bad situation’.
“We have to be seen to support business, they are essential to the life of the town,” he said.
However, area manager John Kennelly explained that Chief Executive of Kerry County Council Moira Murrell had indicated that councillors would get a vote on the process at a review stage in the autumn.
Cllr Thornton repeatedly emphasised the need for a more regular review structure. “Autumn is too far away. This is something that needs to be reviewed regularly, every 10 days to two weeks... otherwise we run the risk the measures become too disproportionate... and strangle business,” she said.
Fine Gael Cllr Michael Foley raised the issue of confusion among people about some of the road markings already in place in Tarbert, Ballylongford, Moyvane and Ballybunion, urging the Council to explain them clearly.
Sinn Féin’s Tom Barry and Robert Beasley welcomed the fact the initial proposal had been scaled back, with Cllr Barry pointing to the unique layout of the market town. Cllr Beasley said the Council must ensure that businesses are in a position to ‘go forward, because trying to recover after four months of a lockdown is very challenging’.
He said he had been ‘shocked’ to hear of one Listowel business that would not be reopening.
Meanwhile, Listowel Business and Community Alliance is urging people to shop local and use the set-down spaces – expected to be working from some time this week.
Chair of the Alliance Retail and Enterprise Group Paul O’Connor urged shoppers to avail of the new measures: “We urge people to use these 15 minutes to avail of the Click and Collect services and takeaway to support local businesses. As this is a temporary measure, there will be an opportunity to review works in the coming weeks.
“While this was not the result we had hoped for, we wish to express our thanks to Kerry County Council for allowing the opportunity for consultation and for the town to give feedback on this critical matter,” he said.
Alliance Chairperson Rose Wall also called on all to shop local:
“The most important thing is that people come in and support business who are reopening and support local.
“Throughout the week businesses have been reopening, with the majority of restaurants now open operating takeaway services, and our beautiful boutiques and shoe shops are back welcoming customers through their doors.”