McKee: Additional spaces on or near beachfront will improve accessibility and help business

Local East Meath Fianna Fáil Cllr Stephen McKee has called on Meath Co Council to provide more car parking spaces in Bettystown and to make the beach more accessible for all.

McKee tabled a motion at September’s Laytown/Bettystown Municipal District meeting calling on Meath Co Council to review the car parking situation in Bettystown and to commit to providing additional parking either on the beach or beachfront in order to help local businesses, increase visitors and footfall to the beach and the centre of Bettystown, and improve beach access for the elderly and those with additional needs.

McKee stated: “Nobody wants a return to a beach full of cars and a complete reversal of the car-ban, but what we do need is a sensible approach to car park provision in Bettystown.

“Visitor numbers are down, businesses are being affected and many people find accessing the beach quite difficult so are going elsewhere.’

“There is no doubt also that damage to the dunes in Mornington with an increase in vehicles accessing the Special Area of Conservation and associated anti-social behaviour there has been exacerbated since the introduction of the ban on cars parking on Bettystown beach.”

The councillor put forward a number of ideas at the meeting including the creation of a larger car parking area with wooden posts on Bettystown beach that would replace the “eyesore” boulders.

“We need to do a lot more to ensure that those who need to access the beach by car, such as families with young children, the elderly and those with disabilities, can safely do so,” said McKee.

“With the new Civic Building due to open in the next few months, the issue is only going to get worse,” he added.

“Every effort needs to be made to provide more parking in Bettystown. We need to do all we can to encourage people to visit our beautiful beaches.”