Westport car parks in ‘deplorable’ state - Flynn

A Westport-based councillor has suggested that car parking charges should be suspended unless improvements are made to the town’s car parks.

Cllr Peter Flynn raised concerns about the safety of the car parks in Westport, which he said were in ‘a deplorable state’.

Mayo County Council currently operates three car parks in Westport, near James Street, Mill Street and High Street as well as a ‘Blue Zone’ covering several other streets in the West Mayo town.

If re-elected to the council, Cllr Flynn said he would be proposing that parking charges be suspended until Westport’s car parks are brought up to an improved standard.

“The car parks, at the moment, are in a deplorable state. There’s potholes in them, if there’s any amount of heavy rain there’s massive flash floodings inside in them, the road markings are really poor,” said Cllr Flynn at the monthly meeting of Westport-Belmullet Municipal District.

“If we’re going to operate a car park that we’re charging money for, then we need to have a car park that people can walk through safely,” he added.

Cllr Christy Hyland described the Main Street car park as ‘a disgrace’ adding that the car park at James Street was prone to flooding on a wet day.

Heather Gibbons, an engineer with Mayo County Council said that funding for car park maintenance was not available within the municipal district.

Replying, Cllr Flynn doubled down on his suggestion that charges be suspended until the car parks were improved.