Smyth's no car day proposal goes nowhere with fellow councillors

A call for a no car day in Mullingar was flatly rejected by members of Mullingar/Kinnegad District Council last week.

Mayor of Mullingar, Hazel Smyth, felt Mullingar should be car free for one bank holiday to see the effect on traffic and air pollution and how the town centre could be put to another use. She accepted that the town would be car free for the Fleadh and felt that it should be considered for next year.

Cllr Ken Glynn suggested that there was division in the chambers about the direction in which Mullingar was headed. He said the town was “in a mess” and the priority was to get it “more free flowing”. He remarked that the Fleadh brought fantastic business to the town, but banning cars on a bank holiday would adversely affect business.

The car must not be demonised, remarked Cllr Andrew Duncan who recognised what Cllr Smyth was trying to do but said “I have a fundamentally different view point”.

The town relies heavily on people coming in from the hinterlands and you cannot take cars out of the town, stated Cllr John Shaw. He said that a car free day could be considered in conjunction with a festival such as the Fleadh that would bring crowds to the town, but not otherwise.

A low car day rather than a no car day was suggested by Cllr Denis Leonard. He said it could coincide with the launch of the Mullingar bus service with free bus travel for the day. He feels that proper public transport services must be put in place before banning cars can be considered.

The sentiment is good, but in reality a no car day would be difficult to implement. It would delay emergency vehicles and lead to heavy traffic on the ring roads, remarked Cllr Aoife Davitt.

“If it was done in conjunction with some event and if there was a local bus service to cart people around the town it might work, but not yet”, remarked Cllr Frank McDermott.

The members don’t agree with this proposal and the people won’t either, warned Cllr Michael Dollard.

Cllr Smyth asked to amend her motion calling for a no car day in conjunction with the launch of the local bus service and maybe a farmers’ market, with access for those with disabilities, taxies and emergency vehicles and for a limited number of hours and areas.

The amendment was also rejected on the grounds that it was “putting the cart before the horse”. It was agreed that it could be revisited “another day”.