Calls for a park and ride facility in this Kildare town

Kildare County Council is to write to the National Transport Authority (NTA) requesting that a park and ride facility is explored for the west of Maynooth as part of the Dart+ project.

The move comes on foot of a motion tabled by Labour councillor, Angela Feeney at this month's meeting of Clane-Maynooth Municipal District.

Cllr Feeney told the council that such was her enthusiasm for the issue that she tabled both a motion and question on the matter for this month's MD meeting.

Dart+ was set to be “transformative” for the area, she told the committee, her proposal offered the opportunity to maximise on the project, and such a move would encourage people out of their cars and off the M4.

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Given the planned depot west of Kilcock, she added, consideration could be given to what the impact of a park and ride west of Maynooth will be.

She appealed to the members to write to the NTA to consider a park and ride facility for west of Maynooth, and said that while the NTA may already be considering it, such a move would mean everyone would be “working together” towards a common goal.

Cllr Padraig Mcevoy (IND) said that as the population spreads across the commuter belt, the number of cars is increasing.

The Minister, he said, has secured planning permission for Dart South West+, but has yet to fund the project, which he said would take a large number of cars off the M4.

Cllr McEvoy pointed out that the M4 bus lane has not been implemented either.

Also supporting the motion, Cllr Tim Durkan (FG) told the council that in terms of Maynooth, if one looks at the last population census, the population now stands at some 17,000 people, which was “probably surpassed now.”

There were also 16,000 students in the town, he pointed out, with 5,000 students travelling to Maynooth by car.

“It's basically a gateway to Dublin at this point”, he said, “or one of the gateways to Dublin.”

A park and ride facility “on-scale” is “drastically needed”, he stated, particularly given that the car park in the rail station in Maynooth is now at capacity and has already been extended twice.

A report issued by Kildare County Council stated that the council “is not responsible” for the provision of park and ride facilities in the county.

However, the council noted, should the elected members agree, a letter could be sent to the National Transport Authority requesting that this is explored as part of the Dart+ project.

Following members' agreement, a letter will now be sent to the National Transport Authority.