Campaign for car park reinstatement
OVER 120 people have signed an online petition opposing the closure of the car park at Kilcoole train station.
The Irish Rail car park at the station is to remain closed for the summer months, Wicklow County Council announced last week.
‘ This is being done in the interests of public health and well-being and to facilitate local people to exercise within the current 5km restrictions,’ the council said in a statement.
Council officials said that free parking is available for commuters at the park and ride car park in Greystones, which is a seven minute drive from the centre of Kilcoole.
In a petition created by Kilcoole woman Jacqueline Kane McManus on change.org, she said tht local people who can’t walk to the beach but want to use the beach can’t as long as the car park is closed. ‘ This car park closure not only affects those who want to get the train from there,’ she said in the petition. ‘It not only affects locals who can’t walk to the beach but those from the surrounding areas that use it too.’
‘In line with national policy to improve infrastructure in order to encourage more people to walk and cycle, Wicklow County Council, An Garda Síochána and Irish Rail have agreed to keep the car park at the train station closed, on a trial basis, over the summer while the schools are off, children are at home, the weather is good and there are generally less commuters,’ said the council in their statement. ‘ The closing of the car park as a result of Covid-19 restrictions has had the unforeseen benefit of facilitating more people walking and cycling along the narrow rural section of Sea Road in greater safety than they previously enjoyed.’ They said that many families with young children are now more comfortable walking and cycling to the end of Sea Road from the village centre to access the local amenities of the beach and the Ballydonarea Loop Walk.
‘ This is as a result of the reduced volume of cars travelling at speed; the only cars now being local residents who travel the road much slower as they are familiar with its narrow nature and the possibility of pedestrians and cyclists on it,’ read the council statement. Improved road markings and signage have been installed along Sea Road to warn drivers of the presence of pedestrians and cyclists while extra bicycle parking has been provided to cater for the increase in cyclists in the area. Picnic benches have been placed in the parking area to make use of the available space and to enhance the amenity value for people visiting by bike or on foot.
There are two disabled parking bays in the car park which are still available for use and Wicklow County Council will be installing a number of parking spaces reserved for the elderly.