Clamping threat looms at Louth train station car park

By Olivia Ryan, The Drogheda Independent

Commuters using Clarke station in Dundalk have been warned their cars could be clamped if they park at an access road to the busy station.

Irish Rail revealed it is restricting parking at part of the site from this week, and clamping will be introduced from next Monday, October 20.

The changes are being introduced following a recent incident at the service route located on the Ardee Road, where rail users have been parking. A bus attempting to gain access to Clarke station during Storm Amy was unable to get past the parked cars.

Louth TD Ruairí Ó Murchú highlighted the ongoing parking issues at the Dundalk station, and has called for more to be done on increasing car park spaces.

He said he was contacted by station customers at the end of last week when they returned to their cars at the Ardee Road to find a note telling them that as of this week, they would no longer be able to park there and would be clamped if they did so.

The Sinn Féin TD said he had written to Irish Rail and received a response which confirmed the closure of the site, where dozens of cars park every day.

In the email, he questioned the rationale behind the restriction of parking, and asked for additional spaces to be provided.

He wrote: “With the Enterprise running every hour now and higher demand for the excellent services from Dundalk to Dublin and Belfast, many people are parking at the station and rightly using the trains.

“Most days, all the car parks are full of commuters heading in both directions. This has come as a shock to many, particularly because of the fact that these notes were on the windscreens, with no further directions to commuters issued at the station itself or on the platforms.

“A couple of days’ notice is not enough for those who work in Dublin or Belfast a couple of days a week and would not have seen these if they were not there today”.

In response, Irish Rail confirmed arrangements to restrict parking in this area, saying the area identified for closure was “not an overflow car park, but is an access road to the station.

They said the extent of parking along this road “has created safety issues in access for emergency services vehicles, and for access for buses.”

Irish Rail acknowledged the station car park has become busier arising from the success of the improved service, including hourly Belfast services, but said they “must be in a position to maintain safe and clear access for emergency service vehicles such as fire brigade and ambulance, and for bus services.”

“As a result, double-yellow lines have been put in place, and those parking illegally in this area will be subject to clamping, as detailed on the notices.”

“We do believe there is the potential to provide some additional spaces in the main car park by removing the middle ‘island’ where there are some grass verges and shrubbery, and we will examine this as a matter of urgency. However, we are not in a position to permit parking on the access roadway due to the safety access issues described above.

“During week commencing October 13, our focus will be on ensuring awareness of this amongst customers through notices, and through additional signage, and we have instructed APCOA who manage our car parking including clamping in all of our station car parks to commence clamping for illegal parking in the area from Monday 20th October”.