Councillor predicts parking chaos following extension to Mayo industrial estate
Mayo County Council say they will not provide extra parking for business in Westport Industrial Park when slip road is completed
A senior Mayo county council official informed a local councillor that the local authority will not be providing parking spaces for businesses in a Westport industrial estate despite predictions of traffic chaos.
The Westport Industrial Park on the Newport Road is to be expanded in the coming months with 12 additional serviced industrial sites as well as a new link road to the Golf Course Road. The long-awaited €2.4 million link road is set to be completed within the next 12 months but local Independent councillor John O'Malley predicted there will be traffic chaos unless there is additional parking made available for the businesses.
Speaking at the May meeting of the Westport/Belmullet Municipal District, Cllr O'Malley said that there are over 200 people currently working in the estate and there is a serious problem with traffic when trucks are unloading.
The Carrowholly-based councillor proposed that parking be provided by Mayo County Council for the staff so there is more parking around the businesses for clients.
“There are about 200 people working down there at the moment and I have asked for more spaces for people. If it isn't done there will be no place to unload trucks and the traffic will not be able to get through and it will be chaos. I am asking for someone to look at it and see what they think.
“If you go down there any day when there are deliveries and see the traffic you will see it will be chaos. I know someone working there who said there are days when it is already chaotic. There is no sense in putting in a slip road if it isn't going to work. If you are going to go there when trucks are being unloaded it will be chaos,” he told the meeting.
However, Heather Gibbons, Senior Executive Engineer with Mayo County Council said that it is the responsibility of the businesses to provide parking and not the role of the local authority.
“The extension of the industrial estate came before everyone and was passed in this chamber. I would like to add that as part of planning it is up to each industrial estate to satisfy their business needs and parking for their clients and their staff. It is not a function for us. It was part of their planning to provide parking for their clients and for their staff. We won't keep going over it,” she said.
Cllr O'Malley responded by saying there were more people working there than had been envisaged and suggested that the council use a green area that he felt was 'doing nothing' as parking for workers.
Ms Gibbons reiterated that it was businesses who should provide the parking but added that there was an area opposite the An Post sorting office which could be used as an overflow area.