This article is from page 20 of the 2008-09-09 edition of The Clare People. OCR mistakes are to be expected so download the original SWF or the rendered page 20 JPG
BUSINESSES in Parnell Street are considering a two-point plan aimed at addressing parking problems in the area.
The plan, drawn up at a recent meeting of representatives from the business community, the Office of Public Works and the Taxi Federa- tion involves the OPW purchasing 30 parking passes for the Market Street multi-storey car park for business permit holders in the Parnell Street area.
Businesses say trade in the area has been adversely affected by the loss of parking spaces resulting from work being carried out by the OPW on the Ennis flood relief scheme.
It also proposes, according to town engineer Tom ‘Tiernan, banning parking permit holders from parking in the Parnell Street area, with a view to making as much parking space as possible available for shoppers and customers. Mr Tiernan outlined the proposal at yesterday’s meeting of the Ennis electoral area where he also defended the decision to re-lo- cate the taxi rank from O’Connell Square to Parnell Street.
He said that during the public con- sultation process, Ennis Town Coun- cil received, “60 or 70 significant submissions and practically all of them supported the move. There has
been a significant improvement with 21 taxi spaces. The queuing system is as it should be, in one straight line. There were no objections to re-locat- ing, which is the first time in this type of process that that has happened.”
However, 1n a motion, Fianna Fail councillor and former Parnell Street resident, Pat Daly called for the council to consider re-locating the rank to other areas of the town.
He described re-locating the taxi rank as a “bad decision’, but conced- ed business owners in the area had made a mistake in not voicing their concerns earlier.
He said, “Business in the area is a disaster. Moving the taxi rank was a bad decision in the first place. One of the major causes is the loss of 30 parking spaces. It should have been re-located to another area, like Bank Place. It would make more sense. It can be a long walk up dark alleys from the Queens nightclub down to Parnell Street.”
Independent councillor Tommy Brennan said agreement over the move had been reached with the Taxi Federation. “There are plans to up- grade O’Connell Square. We need it as a centerpiece for the town,’ said the councillor. Mr Tiernan said he would consider reducing the size of the taxi rank, but added that all alter- native ideas and suggestions for sites had been exhausted.