Ashbourne to get ‘much-needed’ Park and Ride facility
Plans are progressing for a new Park and Ride facility in Ashbourne, with a preferred site now identified as part of a wider strategy to improve transport links and reduce congestion in the Greater Dublin Area.
The proposed development forms part of the National Transport Authority’s long-term transport strategy, which aims to encourage commuters to switch from private cars to public transport by providing strategically located parking hubs near major road networks.
According to correspondence provided to Meath East TD Darren O'Rourke, the preferred location for the Ashbourne facility is along the R125, just east of the Nine Mile Stone roundabout, close to the M2 corridor.
Work is ongoing to finalise the design and engage with landowners, with planning permission expected to be sought by late 2026 or early 2027.
The Park and Ride is intended to serve commuters travelling from Ashbourne and surrounding areas, including Ratoath, by providing access to bus services and reducing reliance on car journeys into Dublin.
Welcoming the development, Sinn Féin councillor Helen Meyer said the project would be a significant addition for the town.
“Ashbourne will be getting a Park and Ride… the details are still being worked out, but hopefully, in the not-too-distant future, a much-needed Park and Ride will be built in Ashbourne,” she said.
The NTA established a dedicated Park and Ride Development Office to advance such projects, focusing in particular on bus-based facilities that can be delivered more quickly than rail-based alternatives. These facilities are typically located near major transport corridors to maximise accessibility and encourage a shift towards public transport use.
A spokesperson for Meath County Council confirmed that the Nine Mile Stone site is identified as a regional bus-based Park and Ride in the NTA’s Transport Strategy for the Greater Dublin Area 2022–2042.
The council also noted that while no Park and Ride is currently included as part of the Slane Bypass and Public Realm Improvement Scheme, additional facilities may be considered in the wider area.
“The provision of a Park and Ride facility to the north of Ashbourne is being considered as a potential complementary public transport measure in association with the junction options under the N2 Rath to Kilmoon Scheme,” the spokesperson said.
"That scheme represents a long-term response to traffic congestion at Kilmoon Cross and Primatestown, and Transport Infrastructure Ireland provided an allocation in 2026 to support further scheme development.”
“The NTA’s Strategy also notes that smaller or local Park & Ride facilities may be considered in specific circumstances, where they support high-quality public transport services and do not encourage short, car-based trips or undermine town centre vitality or land-use objectives.”