Last day to make submissions on council plans for Mullingar town centre

THIS REPORT WAS FIRST PUBLISHED IN EARLY AUGUST. WE PRESENT IT AGAIN HERE AS A REMINDER THAT THE DEADLINE FOR SUBMISSIONS ON THE PLAN IS TODAY, SEPTEMBER 1

 

Westmeath County Council will have to radically alter its proposed €3m Mullingar Town Enhancement Scheme if it is to win over the town's business community and general public.

That was the central message that came from a Town Team meeting at the Annebrook Hotel attended by around 100 people.

The scheme, which was on public display until August 18, includes plans for the creation of “public spaces” at the Pearse Street-Castle Street Junction and Market Square and the introduction of a one way system on Mount Street.

The proposal also includes details for the redesign of a number of town centre junctions including the reversal of the one way system in Dominick Place. According to the council, the aim of the project is to “alleviate traffic and parking congestion within the streets and create vibrant and sustainable urban spaces”.

Among traders’ biggest concerns are that the changes will lead to a loss of business due to the proposed reduction of parking spaces on the town's main streets. Speaking at the meeting, town team member Des Walsh estimated that up to 45 parking spaces will be lost in Dominick Street alone, while there are also plans to remove much of the parking from Pearse Street in order to widen the street.

One of aims of the plan is to encourage people to park once and move around on foot, however many traders feel that this will discourage visitors from coming into Mullingar.

John McGrath from Mullingar Employment Action Group described the plan as an “engineering solution” rather than a pro-business solution.

According to the compilers of a traffic survey, on October 28 last year, 9,000 cars passed through the town without stopping. While one of the objectives of the plan is to encourage passing motorists to use the town's bypasses, Mr McGrath says the focus should be on devising a plan to get them to “stop and spend a pound”.

Tomás Nally, who was speaking on behalf of the Dominick Street traders group, said that businesses on the street were opposed to the proposed introduction of parallel parking on the street as it would lead to a major reduction in the number of spaces.

However, he said that there were a “lot of positive aspects” about the scheme including the proposed increase in the size of Dominick and Market Squares.

Mr Nally also predicted that “whether we like it or not” within 10 years there will be a “whopping big shopping centre” built in Blackhall, which will move the focus of the town's trade to a “back street”.

He said that it is important that traders “defend what they have” and the more positive features of the scheme will help their efforts to revitalise the centre of the town.

Sean Lynch from Mullingar Arts Centre accused the council's executive of “arrogance”. He said that before any proposal was brought forward, the town's business community should have been consulted.

Eoin Walsh, who spoke on behalf of the town's taxi drivers said that as the business group who use the town's road system the most, he and his colleagues should have been asked for an input when the plan was being drawn up.

“Not one of us was asked for our opinion, not only is it ludicrous, it is insulting,” he said.

Mr Walsh also said that rather than improve traffic flow in the town, proposals such as making Martin's Lane one way or removing the right turn from Grove Street into Dominick Street, will increase congestion problems in the centre of town and that many people will see the cost of a taxi home after a night out increase by up to 35%.

Niall Murray, proprietor of Apache Pizza, said that it appeared that “all roads lead to Blackhall in the plan” and wondered was this in preparation for a new shopping centre.

Mr Murray also said that the proposed traffic plan would have a negative impact on takeaway delivery drivers.

“There are some positives, but we need to make sure that it just isn't a preparation for a new shopping centre,” he said.

Stella Lynch, proprietor of Just Books, said that unlike shopping centres where everything is geared towards convenience, there was nothing in the plan that would make things easier for visitors to the town.

Brigid Manley, president of Mullingar Chamber of Commerce, said that it was important to remember that the Town Enhancement Scheme was “not a done deal” and that there was a “great opportunity” for people to contribute.

Deputy Peter Burke echoed Ms Manley's sentiment saying that it was important that as many people as possible attend the public information events (they were in County Buildings on Friday July 28 and in Market House on Wednesday August 9.

At the end of the meeting it was agreed that the town's traders would go as a group to the public information meeting being hosted by the council on August 9.

Speaking to the Westmeath Examiner after the meeting, chairperson of Mullingar Town Team Angela Maher said that the organisers were “thrilled with the turnout”.

“Everybody wants to be engaged in the process, which is very positive for Mullingar. The plan is not all bad, there is a lot of great stuff in it,” she said.

“Nobody wants it to go away. Let’s make changes because we all need to make it work. If something would damage business in the town, there is no point in putting it in,” she said.

“We are inviting the council to work with us. There is an open invitation to work with the Town Team.”