Wilkinstown filling station car park to link with greenway

Meath County Council has granted planning permission for a car park beside Doughty's Filling Station in Wilkinstown which will also serve as a car park and access point for the Boyne Valley to Lakelands County Greenway.

The car park will provide 40 spaces and will have an entrance off the R162 Navan to Kingscourt Road, as well as an entrance from the existing car park at the filling station.

The plan includes a picnic area with a walking and cycling path linking up with the greenway.

"Apart from the car park, we are also going to create our own bit of greenway, so people park up, go along our 'greenway' and get onto the main one. We will be putting seating and lighting in as well," Brendan Doughty told the Meath Chronicle.

"I think it will be a great facility for the greenway and help it along. People want to be able to park safely, unload their bikes if cycling and head off, knowing their car is safe while they are gone".

Construction is expected to start in the coming weeks and the intention is that the facility will be up and running by mid-July around the time the next section of the greenway between Wilkinstown and Castletown is completed. This is the last piece of the greenway between Navan and Nobber to be completed and will give an 18 km stretch. Meanwhile, work is continuing on the section between Nobber and Kilmainhamwood and on to Kingscourt.

Cllr Eugene Cassidy welcomed granting of planning permission.

"Car parking at different locations along the greenway is crucial for this greenway to succeed and I'd like to thank Brendan and Emer for providing this facility to greenway users. I also want to wish them well in their business and the future plans they might have," he said.