Changes at beach car park aim to stamp out overnight camping
WEXFORD County Council are aiming to combat a number of issues at Curracloe beach this summer, as work got under way on the beach car park last week.
With the summer season rapidly approaching, machinery rolled on-site last week to completely resurface and line the beach car park, install a oneway system and install barriers that would effectively prevent motor-homes and campervans from gaining access to the majority of parking - something which has been a source of frustration for some.
Under the new approach, it has also been revealed that Wexford County Council will hire a beach warden for the summer season, to manage Curracloe, Ballinesker and Culleton’s Gap. They will assist members of the public, monitor littering and illegal dumping and ensure compliance with all beach by-laws.
With the emphasis to remain on ‘staycations’ this year as a result of the pandemic, the council are keen to avoid chaotic scenes of traffic at our beaches and beauty spots and the work at Curracloe directly follows a resurfacing and lining of spaces at Culleton’s Gap. The
Curracloe work will see up to 20 new spaces created, including two designated disabled parking spaces.
In previous years, the parking of motor-homes and campervans was said to have taken up large amounts of spaces, something which Mayor of Wexford Leonard Kelly says unfortunately has to come to a stop.
‘Over the years there have been considerable issues with campers parking overnight in breach of the by-laws,’ he said. ‘Despite the best efforts of our wardens the campers come at late hours and will not move on when asked. They invariably take up two spaces and some light barbecues near the sensitive dune system. We have had three serious dune fires in the last five years.’
Despite this, Cllr Kelly says that he’s not pointing the finger of blame at motor-home owners, noting he’s a campervan owner himself, and is urging Wexford County Council to provide alternative facilities.
‘I would recommend that we need to start designating spaces as campervan friendly areas,’ he said. ‘We believe the actions in relation to Curracloe are necessary to protect the dunes, but we do need to look at providing more areas and facilities for campervan and motor-home owners.’
In a bid to prevent large campervans pitching up, bollards will now stretch down the centre of the car park with height restriction barriers installed at either end. The move has been greeted with anger by motor-home and campervan owners, who believe that the council is making Wexford unattractive to this type of visitors by completely inhibiting access to its beauty spots.
It’s stressed that under the plans day trip camper vans will be able to access the part of the car park nearest the road, but it is considered that this area is unlikely to be attractive for campers staying overnight. In addition, the car park will be patrolled by the new beach warden.