Paid parking zone to be extended to Central Park

Westmeath County Council will proceed with plans to extend paid parking in Mullingar to include the Central Park area. Members of the Mullingar Kinnegad Municipal District authority heard details of the plan at the March meeting. Mary Goldsberry, district manager, stated: “Following on from previous discussions here in the chamber and having engaged with residents in Central Park, we are proposing to introduce paid parking which is Zone A, for a maximum of two hours, as set out in the Mullingar town parking bye-laws.”

The official notice will be published in the local paper and the consultation portal: “We will allow a period of time for submissions and observations in respect of the proposals,” Ms Goldsbury said.

The public can have an input on the plans up to April 20 through the consultation portal on the council website.

Cathaoirleach Cllr Mick Dollard said the move is necessary: “Central park is being used as a car park at busy shopping times and when there are football or hurling matches taking place, and I propose we go ahead with it.”

The proposal was seconded by Cllr Bill Collentine: “It’s badly needed,” he said. “People park there all day long, very often at the inconvenience of the people who live there.”

Cllr Emily Wallace brought attention to issues residents of Central Park have had, drawing on one example: “I was contacted by a resident who got a parking ticket at her back gate, because she was parked on a double yellow line. Are residents going to be given parking permits for their own homes? Particularly as they have no front of house parking.”

Cllr David Jones said paid parking affect everyone throughout the municipal district: “There needs to be greater clarity about where the paid parking zones are, clarity through signage and the council’s website,” he said. Cllr Ken Glynn reiterated the importance of providing for homeowners in the area: “We need to have some provision in place for the residents themselves.”

Ms Goldsbury said the issues raised are part of the consultation phase: “If it does go through, residents of Central Park can apply for a residents parking permit for their area. In terms of the app, the zones are available on the app there. We also have new signage installed in the last couple of months.”

Cllr Wallace asked if residents applying for permits will be dealt with separately to the current list of permit applicants, which has a waiting list. Ms Goldsbury confirmed that was the case and it would be in line with previous areas that were brought into the paid parking zone.