Indiscriminate parking is 'a slap in the face' for Kilkenny residents

Indiscriminate match day parking has left local residents living around Nowlan Park annoyed and frustrated yet again according to local Councillor Andrew McGuinness who says a ‘minority of match attendees are making life difficult for everyone’.

Speaking to The Kilkenny People, Councillor Andrew McGuinness said, “I received numerous calls on Sunday due to indiscriminate parking blocking people into their premises in the Hebron Industrial Estate, cars parked up on the green area in Newpark, green margins being used as parking spaces and cars parked along Penneyfeather Way behind the garda bollards.”

“In one incident, a local business owner could not get out of his premises in the Hebron Industrial Estate and when he approached the person as they returned to their car he said he was verbally abused. That is simply not good enough and it has gone on too long without a permanent solution,” he said.

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 “The green area at Newpark is cared for by local residents and is used by local children. It was full of cars on Sunday. Those people drove over a footpath and boldly parked on a green area in front of houses. That was a slap in the face to the local community!,” he continued.

“I have seen CCTV footage from local business owners and residents and the lack of consideration shown to them by people blocking their entrances was shocking. I'm also aware that the gardai did issue some tickets and they have done great work at O’Loughlin Road, Assumption Place and the immediate housing schemes but people are simply moving up the road a short distance.

“In recent weeks both myself and Cllr. Joe Malone have met with officials in Nowlan Park where we outlined our concerns about match day parking along with other issues that they are working on. I can see that they are doing a lot of work to encourage people to use the available parking spaces in the area in places like MacDonagh Junction, County Hall car park, the car park at O’Loughlins, the HSE car park and so on. Its advertised in the programmes and put out on local radio and in the newspapers, but people still try to get as close as possible to the front door and don’t seem to care where they park or who they disrupt,” he said.

Councillor Joe Malone also received complaints following Sundays game.

“It's not fair on the GAA and the Gardai who are doing all they can to encourage match goers to use the available parking and its not fair on the residents who have to deal with it. There is plenty of parking between MacDonagh Junction, O’Loughlin Gaels, St Canices and so on. The fact that there were hundreds of spaces not used on Sunday, yet cars parked all over the place, speaks volumes about those who insist on parking in a way that upsets local residents. They should be held responsible,” said Cllr Joe Malone.

According to Andrew McGuinness, the vast majority of match attendees respect the local community and park appropriately. “The vast majority of match goers respect the local community and the neighbouring residents and they don’t abuse the parking situation. However, a minority seem to have no consideration and don’t care where they park once they are as close as possible to Nowlan Park. It has to stop and I believe that parking tickets and enforcement is the best way to do that,” he said.

“I have spoken to management at MacDonagh Junction where they have over 1,000 parking spaces available right next to Nowlan Park. It is only €2.50 to park for 3 hours and if you spend €10 in Dunnes Stores it is only €1.70, yet there were still over 300 empty parking spaces there on Sunday. County Hall has a further 140 parking spaces and its open on a Sunday for a cost of just €2 per day. That car park was not full on Sunday either. Even if people park in Dunnes Stores or Ormonde Car Park, its still only a short walk.”

“Match day parking has been an issue for as long as I can remember but the local parking options have increased greatly and there is an effort from the GAA to encourage people to use that parking, however, it seems that a mindset needs to change where a small minority of attendees are not availing of proper parking and instead try to park as close as possible despite the fact that they are disrupting the local community. If they are not prepared to use the proper parking then they should be fined and made an example of,” concluded Cllr. Andrew McGuinness.