Sites for coach parking facilities identified in busy Limerick town

A NUMBER of potential sites have been identified for a dedicated parking facility for buses and coaches in Newcastle West.

Currently, there is no such facility in the County Town and concerns have been expressed that tourists are bypassing Newcastle West and stopping in other towns and villages.

The matter was raised by Councillor Tom Ruddle at the September meeting of Newcastle West Municipal District.

“We want to bring tourists into the town of Newcastle West. We need parking facilities for buses because at present we have no facility for a bus to park up for an hour so people can go into town,” he explained.

“There are one or two options there on the N21 that the council should, in my mind, purchase and make into a car park,” he added.

Calls to provide a designated parking area for tour buses follows “substantial investments in Fullers Folly,” a three-storey cut limestone building built as a tower, which dates back to the 1870s.

Cllr Ruddle added that having dedicated parking facilities for buses and coaches would also facilitate access to Desmond Castle and The Square in the centre of the town.

The provision of such a facility, he said, should be prioritised given the expected influx of visitors to Limerick for the Ryder Cup in Adare next September.

In a written response, circulated at the meeting, Director of Service Seán Lenihan, thanked Cllr Ruddle for raising “this important motion”.

He indicated he is “happy to meet with him and any of the other district members on the ground to explore further what may be possible”.

Mr Lenihan added he would work with his council colleagues “to try and deliver the optimum solution”, subject to the necessary funding being available.

Noting the reply, Cllr Ruddle said he would provide details of the potential locations to Mr Lenihan.