Laois councillor calls for planned underground carpark in Lyster Square

A Laois councillor wants the plan for an underground carpark in Lyster Square in Portlaoise to push ahead.

Cllr Tommy Mulligan of the Portlaoise Municipal District, says plans must start now, as his town continues to rapidly grow.

"It's pretty obvious to us all, parking in Portlaoise is one of our top issues, if not the most important. People are avoiding Main Street because of the lack of parking. They are potentially reducing James Fintan Lalor Avenue to two lanes, rezoning land an adding another 5,000 dwellings. We will have a much bigger demand in years to come.

"We are limited with the amount of land, I don't think people would approve of a multi-storey carpark. There is an underground carpark in Mallow in Cork with 420 spaces and it's a resounding success," Cllr Mulligan said.

The carpark was part of a radical eco friendly reimagining, called Portlaoise - 2040 and Beyond, shown in a video nine years ago in 2017. It seeks to remove cars from the town centre's roads.

Along with undergrounding parking and glades of trees and canopies in a pedestrianised Lyster Square, it removes roundabouts and lanes from JFL Avenue, and pedestrianises Main Street. Other plans in it are already underway or done, such as the Triogue Blueway, the bus service and the new library.

Cllr Mulligan tabled a motion to the February meeting of Portlaoise Municipal District, asking Laois County Council to commission a feasibility study for the development of the carpark.

He suggests getting money from the Urban Regeneration and Development Fund (URDF) to pay for the study.

Cllr Caroline Dwane Stanley agrees parking is a big problem in Lyster Square, but said businesses were not in favour of undergrounding parking, first mooted in the ambitious plan back in 2017.

"It is probably one of the most dangerous places you could walk or drive around. I remember that while stakeholders liked the idea, the feedback was the length of time it would take to build. We saw the plan, we all said it would never happen," she said.

Cllr Catherine Fitzgerald said that the drawings they had viewed "looked fantastic".

She described Lyster Square as "one of the worst places to park, walk, or push a buggy".

"There's delivery trucks, there's scooters, people find it difficult to reverse out of spaces, there's a lot of older people there going to the Post Office. People have stopped going there because of the parking and traffic management. I don't know how we'll get money for it but we have to look for it, we have to be ambitious." Cllr Fitzgerald said.

Cllr Paddy Buggy described Portlaoise as "a city in all but name".

"By the time this feasibility study is done we won't be using cars, we'll be flying by drone.

"Businesses will be damaged, I don't think you can dig up Lyster Square But maybe by the way the Metro will be done, they drill outside  then come in underground so the top is not affected. It's a success in Boston they have all their traffic underground but it took decades of disruption," Cllr Buggy said.

Cllr Barry Walsh said it would be "a massive disruption to business", but agrees that a study must be done to future proof Portlaoise as "it's only getting bigger".

Laois County Council's URDF department said the carpark is still an objective of the Portlaoise-2040 and Beyond project.

"Subject to funding and parking need, a feasibility study could be progressed, but the priority for now is to implement the provision of Placemaking for a Low Carbon Town Centre," it said.

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The council in its Placemaking plan wants to significantly reduce town centre emissions. It says there is a heavy reliance on car-based travel in Portlaoise. It commits to reducing the 3,000 Portlaoise car park spaces by 20%, in a phased manner. They will be reallocated to cycle/pedestrian measures, bus parking, the e-bike scheme and EV parking.

It will be also welcoming bidders to upgrade the public realm on Railway Street, Church Avenue, Main Street, Bull Lane, Lyster Lane, Pepper’s Lane and Lyster Square. 

They also plan the creation of "urban development sites" along JFL Avenue, consistent with the principles of "compact urban growth".