Laois town's residential area to share parking spaces with shoppers

A residential square in a Laois town is to have some of its private parking spaces shared with the public, to boost local businesses.

Jessop Court in Portlaoise with 15 homes opens onto the shopping area of Hynds Square.

Four of its parking spaces are to be now allocated to the public, but only at certain times.

Shoppers will be able to use the spaces between 9am and 4.30pm, Monday to Friday, so that people who live there can have their spaces back in the evenings and at weekends. 

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Portlaoise Cllr Catherine Fitzgerald has welcomed the decision by Laois County Council, but she wants more public spaces to be provided.

"I see this as a good start. I sincerely believe there could be more. The fact that we will have the warden going in now, could they do a monthly survey and take photos and judge it then? This is a central area in Portlaoise," she said.

She spoke at the January meeting of Portlaoise Municipal District, where she tabled a motion asking for an update on Jessop Court and Hynds Square.

The council gave the following reply.

"Revised arrangements for car parking in Jessop Court have been developed whereby, from Monday to Friday (9am to 4.30pm), four car parking spaces will be made available for general public use subject to parking charges and time restrictions applicable in Portlaoise Town Centre. Outside of these hours parking is to be reserved for residents only."

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Portlaoise Town Manager Simon Walton said that the decision was based on surveys by traffic wardens and four spaces was "very conservative".

He said there may be more spaces made available but the aim is not to disrupt residents while supporting local businesses.

Meanwhile Hynds Square is getting an outdoor canopy for seating, with Director of Services Simon Walton explaining further. 

"We received a grant of €140,000 from Fáilte Ireland for outdoor furniture. Hynds Square was identified for the provision of a tensile canopy and supplemented lighting. It is now being procured. It will be similar to the canopy at Abbeyleix library.

"We are at the mercy of contractors but it will be completed for sure in the first half of this year," he said.

Cllr Fitzgerald asking him about extending the new paving on Main Street into Hynds Square. Mr Walton said that "optimistically it would be at the end of 2022".

"Hynds Square is a really lovely spot in Portlaoise, a central area. If people can sit and have their coffee or ice cream it will be very good for the town centre," she said.

Cllr Caroline Dwane Stanley has in the past flagged the concerns of the residents.

"They are caught between a commercial and residential areas. If you live in that square you could be paying €1200 a month in rent and can't park," she said.

Parking problems are ongoing for the past 20 years since Jessop Court and Hynds Square were built. Residents had complained about shoppers parking in their private spaces or blocking them in, but shoppers had complained about getting parking fines and wanted some spaces for public use. Laois County Council took Jessop Court in charge in January 2020, undertaking to review parking.