Behan: We need more parking on seafront

CLLR Joe Behan called for parking to be installed between the north car park on the seafront and the aquarium building.

He said that while the seafront renewal was very successful, there is inadequate parking. ‘People are parking on Newcourt Road, Putland Road, Raheen Park, practically all the way up to the Vevay,’ he said.

He asked that consideration be given to his proposal to construct a new car parking area on that site. ‘People have nowhere to park and a lot of tourists do want to drive to Bray,’ said Cllr Behan.

Cllr Pat Vance said that he would be totally opposed to taking the whole green area away. ‘I’d have no problem with improving car parking down there but only a certain amount. I remember a number of years ago in may naivete I wanted to put a few picnic tables down there and there was mayhem with the residents.’

He said that green area is one area where people can go and relax and walk.

Cllr Vance suggested that maybe Bray Wanderers would consider opening their car park on Sundays.

‘People wouldn’t mind paying a modest fee for a day’s parking so close to the seafront,’ he said. ‘You’ll never put in enough spaces no matter what you do,’ said Cllr Steven Matthews. ‘You could tarmac the entire seafront and it wouldn’t be enough. I wouldn’t be in favour of losing valuable green space for the sake of 15 or 20 spaces that wouldn’t make a difference.’

He said that there is space at the Florence Road car park. He said that improved signage could relieve the problem and that it’s just a three or four minute walk down.

‘You could provide 100,000 parking spaces and all it would do would produce 100,000 cars,’ said Cllr Michael O’Connor.

Engineer Liam Burke said that putting parking there would destroy what people come to the sefront for. HE said that it would benefit parking greatly to have a strategy of directing people where to park before they get to the seafront.