RESIDENTS-ONLY ACCESS TO BESIEGED STREETS
COUNTDOWN TO THE WEXFORD V KILKENNY LEINSTER HURLING SEMI FINAL AT WEXFORD PARK ON SATURDAY
HOUSING estates close to Wexford Park are to be sealed off to all but residents ahead of Saturday’s clash between Wexford and Kilkenny.
Access into the estates will be controlled by the gardai with local stewards from the various residents’ committees advising on who is local and who isn’t.
Chief Superintendent John Roche said the action was being taken following complaints from local people about their estates being swamped by fans’ cars, some parked across their driveways, but there was a bigger issue of keeping access open for ambulances and the fire service in the event of an emergency.
There were frayed tempers and long delays for people trying to get to work and school last Wednesday when the first tickets went on sale for the much-heralded clash.
At one stage more than 1,000 people were in the queue for tickets, among them the star of the 1996 Wexford All-Ireland winning team Martin Storey, one of several former major players making their way slowly to the ticket booth.
Supt Roche said parking will be available on Saturday at St Peter’s College, the grounds of Northend Soccer Club, Clonard Church, the grounds of Clonard GAA, weather permitting, and both sides of the road cutting through Whitemill Industrial estate.
‘Our advice is to come early. The gates open at 4 p.m. and there’s a club game at 5 p.m. so our strong advice is allow plenty of time and consider using the public car parks in Wexford town and walking to the pitch,’ said Supt Roche.
He said people with disabled permits would be allowed car access to the pitch, but for set-down only.
‘We would ask people to consider car pooling and and to show consideration for local residents and not to block entrances to estates and houses,’ he said.
Access, controlled by gardai assisted by estate stewards, will be restricted to residents only to estates in Clonard, Corish Park, Whitemill and Kennedy Park, mainly small estates with cut de sacs.
Supt Roche said that with GAA estimates of between 18,000 and 20,000 at the game, there will inevitably be delays, both at the start, when there will be a gradual flow into the park, and following the game when they will be much more significant as people leave for their cars on homes.
‘We will be asking Kilkenny supporters to turn right at the Maldron and will be bringing them from Whitemill so they will be on the western side of the park,’ he said.