RESIDENTS GO TO WAR
‘We’ ve been abused for tackling all-day parking’
CRUSHROD Avenue (pictured) on Drogheda’s northside could be the next location for pay parking after local residents were ‘abused’ for tackling all day parkers on the street.
Residents say that the situation has now become impossible – to such an extent that cars and lorries can hardly pass on the street during the day.
Some residents who have asked motorists not to park outside their homes for the day have been ignored, they claim, with letters written and pinned to the vehicles concerned.
RESIDENTS in Crushrod Avenue say their street is constantly clogged with cars on both sides of the road as local workers abandon their vehicles from 8.30am to 5.30pm each day.
In a letter pleading for action, the residents claim there is an ongoing ‘major problem’ with local workers parking all day on the street on both sides of the road, causing major congestion and leaving cars and buses unable to pass through the street.
The residents also say they have bene verbally abused by some of those parking in the area when they spoke to them about parking somwhere else.
They say they believe many of those parking in the area for long periods are workers in the nearby Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital.
‘We the residents have asked these motorists to please not park outside our homes, we have been abused and told it is a public road they can park where they like! We have also written a very explanatory letter describing our problems and left them on the window of cars. They have chosen to ignore us.’
The residents now feel there is no other option than to request that the council introduce pay parking along the street to deter those parking there for the duration of the day.
‘ There is a special needs school, St Ita’s, at the top of the road, motorists are beginning to park up this end of the road. It is extremely dangerous,’ they state in the letter.
They went on to say that local residents are not unable to park outside their own homes while family and friends also face parking chaos if they try to visit.
In addition, the local pharmacy has no space outside for sick and elderly patients to park outside the shop so that they can collect their prescriptions.
The residents went on to say: ‘Oil lorries cannot deliver oil to the houses as there is nowhere for the truck to park to refill oil tanks. This situation is unacceptable!’
‘We believe that it’s staff from the Lourdes hospital who are parking their vehicles on Crushrod Avenue, causing major problems for the residents,’ added one local resident.
Locals have approached Councillr Frank Godfrey, a former resident in the area, who said he is actively lobbying Louth County Council on their behalf.
‘I have visited the area and can see that people have no access to parking near their homes. I have requested that the engineer visit the area with me to assess the situation. We have got to get this resolved for a better quality of life for the residents of Crushrod Avenue,’ said Councillor Godfrey.