Clarity on parking for delivery vehicles in Mayo town

CLARITY has been issued around parking provision for delivery vehicles in Claremorris.

It came after Councillor Deirdre Lawless submitted a motion calling on Mayo County Council to examine and implement the provision of a designated delivery set down/lay down area within the town centre to facilitate commercial deliveries to local businesses.

The absence of a dedicated delivery area is resulting in delivery vehicles stopping on streets and footpaths, causing traffic congestion, obstructing access, and creating difficulties for businesses, motorists, pedestrians, and other road users.

In a written reply, Councillor Lawless was told that a discretionary period of 30 minutes is generally applied for legally parked delivery vehicles being actively loaded/unloaded within the area to which the Claremorris (and Ballinrobe) parking by-laws apply.

This arrangement generally results in efficient drop-off/collection of deliveries within the town and tickets are rarely issued in these circumstances.

The provision of dedicated delivery spaces would require approval of amendment to existing by-laws.

Councillor Lawless said a lot of businesses were not sure about the 30 minutes and it was good to have it clarified.

Looking out the same window in the town for the last 40 years, Councillor Richard Finn said there is no gridlock in Claremorris, and no problem with setdowns.

If they were going to give up parking spaces for setdowns to suit a few, that wasn't going to be the case while he's an elected representative.

Councillor Patsy O'Brien agreed, asking 'why fix something that isn't broken'. No one had contacted him to say there's a problem.

You will always get a parking space in Claremorris as the system is working, said Councillor John Caulfield. He never sees any issue, with most deliveries on the main street coming in small vans.

He would be reluctant to make any changes to the system given its success.

Municipal district head Padraig Flanagan said the 30-minute discretionary period is critical as it allows a delivery driver to find the best place they can to safely deliver anywhere, whereas a loading bay can be very confining. And with loading bays you will lose parking spaces, which no one wants.

There have been no complaints about the system in place.

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