No plans for extra parking at Ashbourne cemetery amidst call for safer access
There are currently no plans to provide additional parking at a cemetery in Ashbourne, Meath County Council has said.
At the November meeting of the Ashbourne Municipal District, Fine Gael councillor Alan Tobin called on the council to redesign the entrance of St. Declan’s Cemetery to improve safety and accessibility for visitors.
Cllr Tobin submitted a motion requesting that the cemetery’s entrance be modified to allow safe, designated access on a daily basis for relatives visiting the graves of loved ones, making use of the existing parking spaces inside the grounds.
“There is sufficient car parking available — over 100 spaces — within St. Declan’s Cemetery, Ashbourne, and there is no proposal to provide further parking,” the local authority said.
“It is acknowledged that, when the gates are locked, visitors park at the gateway and on the verge of the N2. Hence, the Ashbourne MD Engineer intends to review operational arrangements at St. Declan’s Cemetery, in particular access times.”
The council added: “Currently, access to the public is only allowed during a funeral. The N2 is a busy road, and when the gates are closed, a mix of up to four cars can park outside the gates, all of which must reverse out onto this busy road.”