Leonard pushes for Kinnegad park and ride, and business park to help growth

Calls for urgent progress on long-discussed infrastructure projects in Kinnegad were made at the July meeting of the Municipal District of Mullingar Kinnegad.

Cllr Denis Leonard raised the need for a park and ride facility on the bypass at Kinnegad and a new business park to support local growth.

The Labour councillor expressed frustration over the lack of movement on the projects, despite previous support from national agencies and local representatives.

“I’ve had this on the agenda for the last three or four years,” he said. “There have been meetings with the NTA in the past, and I know they were very agreeable to it. I’ve also heard TDs support it, so I don’t know what the hold-up is.”

He warned that the existing car park in Kinnegad will be overwhelmed once the new library and town park open. “There’s not a hope it will cope with commuter demand,” he said. “Most days the streets are already fully parked up.”

In response to his formal question, the council stated that the project would be examined “when resources become available”. But Cllr Leonard urged more direct action, requesting that the council write to the National Transport Authority (NTA) again and seek a meeting to move the park and ride forward.

He also proposed a separate letter to Minister of State Peter Burke at the Department of Enterprise, seeking support for a business park in Kinnegad.

“Kinnegad is 38 miles from Dublin, right beside two motorways,” Cllr Leonard said. “If we can have one in Ballynacargy or Kilbeggan, you can certainly have one in Kinnegad.”

Footpath complaints

At the same meeting, Cllr Leonard urged the district to find a lasting solution to the uneven footpaths on Main Street, Kinnegad, highlighting the difficulties faced by elderly residents, parents with young children, and people with disabilities.

At the July 14 meeting, Cllr Leonard said the footpaths, many of which are cobble-locked and have not been upgraded in 25-30 years, pose a significant hazard. “The footpath is highly uneven,” he said, adding that the town has a large number of elderly residents and families with young children, as well as specialist housing for disabled people.

He said many residents rely on walking along the Main Street and bypass area.

While the Municipal District confirmed that repairs would be carried out as part of routine maintenance, Cllr Leonard highlighted funding challenges. He explained that town and village funding schemes do not allow footpaths to be included, which limits the council’s options to address the issue comprehensively.

As a way forward, he proposed prioritising footpath repairs over multiple years, similar to how ramps have been installed gradually. “Even if we have to do it over a few years, just like we did ramps, some of our town centre footpaths could be prioritised,” he said.

Supporting the motion, Cllr Niall Gaffney said the footpath are “particularly bad” and called the issue “a cornerstone” of efforts to make Kinnegad more age-friendly and accessible for people with disabilities.