Cllr Ken Glynn is calling on Westmeath County Council to investigate the possibility of providing additional parking near Mullingar fire station to accommodate the increased numbers using the car park near the Clonmore station.
Commenting on a motion he tabled at yesterday evening’s meeting of Mullingar Town Council, Cllr Glynn suggested that free parking be provided in the Clonmore area in order to encourage workers and shoppers to park there and walk into town without being charged.
The councillor is also asking Iarnrod Eireann to reconsider its decision to charge customers €2 per day for parking in the railway station car park, which he says is having a knock on effect on the Clonmore car park. Mullingar Town Council has agreed to write to Iarnrod Eireann to ask them to consider this.
“I am suggesting a loyalty scheme be introduced, whereby regular train users would have parking included in their ticket price.
“Since the changes to the railway station carpark, employees working locally are having increasing difficulty in getting parking as the Clonmore car park is full. I am proposing Westmeath County Council look at acquiring land or coming to an agreement with a landowner in the Clonmore area to extend the current car park to provide additional parking.
“The car park would have two purposes; it would provide an opportunity for people to park for the train station, and would also provide parking for people who work locally.”
Cllr Glynn has also heard from a number of Clonmore residents who are concerned that the overflow of people looking for parking will start to move into their estates if the current situation continues.
“We have to act now. I am pointing the finger of blame at Iarnrod Eireann. They are not providing their customers with a service. If customers are buying tickets they should be afforded free parking. It is unfair; Iarnrod Eireann is forcing people out of using this public service, at a time when we are trying to encourage people to use public transport.”
