Navan commuters to get new park and ride facility on N3

Navan is to benefit from a new park and ride facility off the N3 Kells Road that will provide 182 parking spaces and a new bus shelters for commuters. Plans are being prepared to go on public display and it is expected that construction will begin on the new facility in the autumn. Access will be from a new junction arrangement at the existing signalised Kells Road/O'Growney Terrace junction, which will also facilitate development lands at Balmoral, and this junction arrangement is to be constructed by the developer. Works to be carried out by Meath County Council will include the levelling and grading of the existing site, construction of the parking area and access road with footpaths, construction of bus shelter and ticket vending machines, security CCTV cameras and lighting, delineation and signage, ancillary works such as barriers, and a 'real time' travel information display by Bus Eireann. Cllr Shane Cassells told a meeting of the local town council last week that, for far too long, there has been an "ad-hoc system" for commuters and that the 200 spaces and bus shelters for commuters going on to their destinations in Dublin and elsewhere was very welcome. However, he said the issue of Bus Eireann using the facility was not addressed. "The ideal scenario would be for some buses to progress along the N3, as a lot of time is wasted moving from Scoil Mhuire to Market Square and back out onto the N3, which adds 15 minutes to the journey," he said. Cllr Cassells said there are a minimum of four services per hour to Dublin and that at least one should not go through the town but remain on the N3 to save time. Mayor Cllr Joe Reilly welcomed the plans and said that, with the opening of the M3 motorway this year, it would form part of the future development of Academy Street through to Balmoral as a street structure rather than a primary route. He said bus shelters were badly needed for commuters over the years and asked when the plans would be put on public display and when the works would start. Seed money of €100,000 was set aside in the budget for the project and Navan Town Manager Eugene Cummins said they would also be making a business case to other departments, especially the Department of Transport, to tie it in with their plans. Once councillors approved the plans, they will fix dates for it to go on public display in the next few weeks and try to secure additional funding, he added. Mr Cummins said they were planning for construction to begin towards the third quarter of the year. "We badly need this and to take control of parking in the town. It is critical for the future of the town," he added. Cllr Padraig Fitzsimons said he would be interested to see if there was agreement with Bus Eireann and asked would it be a new dedicated bus stop for the town. Mr Cummins said that Bus Eireann had been consulted about the layout but the company had not discussed or agreed a route. He added that the facility will be for all bus operators. He added that the issue of charges for the facility was a matter for the town councillors. Cllr Fitzsimons also asked that there be a height restriction to prevent casual traders from setting up in the car park. Councillors are to receive a progress report on the new park and ride project at their April or May meeting.