ScarletCrescentconcerns

LOUTH County Council Engineer Mark Johnson has warned that any solution to the parking chaos in Scarlet Crescent must have the full support of the estate residents.

The ongoing issues in the estate, highlighted by the Drogheda Independent in early January, were raised at the Drogheda Borough district meeting, with various suggestions made to try and help locals.

Comments included double yellow lines and residents only parking via permits, with €4.00 a day pay parking to discourage all day parking.

Mayor Frank Godfrey raised the matter and said that not a lot of thought had gone in to the design of Scarlet Crescent.

‘People are parking all over the place and the emergency services would have a problem. There’s only one way in and onee way out and we have to resolve it but we must facilitatecilitate the residents,’ he stated.

He said the big problem is that there was free parking at the old fire station and now people park in the estate.

Cllr Pio Smith has family and friends living in the area. He said on the issue of residents only parking, they would need permits, but some didn’t have cars but had relations coming to look after them. He felt putting down double yellow lines would restrict parkiing options for already under pressure residents.

Paul Bell agreed it was a growing issue while Kennethh Flood said it was raised in 20166 and was still being discussed.

Cllr Kevin Callan advised thatt yellow boxes be placed at the end of pathways so they can be accessed by people. Like Anneville Crescent, he said it wasn’t a through road and people just in to parkpark. He suggested permits for residents and pay parking. ‘ The biggest problem seems to be the all day parparking,’ Mr Johnson stated. He said double yellow lines coucould be added as well as junjunction boxes and a square in the centre of the estate might ssuit parking.

‘We need to study this and we have to see what’s good for the reresidents,’ he stated. Director of Services Paddy Donnelly said councillors had to be aware that as long as people have their cars taxed and insured, they can park in a public place and that included Scarlet Crescent. He added that parking permits was not a policy of the council.