Motion for parking regulation Bye-Laws in Kilcullen

Parking in Market Square.

A request to introduce parking regulation in Kilcullen is being made to Kildare County Council, writes Brian Byrne. It's by way of a motion from Cllr Tracey O'Dwyer at the next meeting of the Kildare-Newbridge Municipal District.

Cllr O'Dwyer is asking for the commencement of a process to introduce Parking Bye-Laws on Main Street. The Diary understands that this is in the context of a review and updating of such Bye-Laws across the MD. "Kilcullen currently has none, so it is timely that they be introduced here," she says. "We need to regularise parking and ensure efficient turnover of cars along Main Street."

Last month, a traffic and pedestrian survey of Kilcullen was undertaken on behalf of Kildare County Council, to assess traffic flow, density, parking turnover, and pedestrian movements.

Cllr O'Dwyer's motion is not connected with the long-standing but unfulfilled promise of a public off-street car park for Kilcullen, but councillors were told in March of this year that delivery of a car park remains a 'priority' for the council. However, a year before they had been told that there are no plans by the council to purchase land for a car park. 

Parking became a contentious issue during the evolution of the Kilcullen Market Square redevelopment plan, which includes pedestrianisation of the current car parking area in the square. In a Parking Report among the Part 8 documents for the Market Square project, consultants O'Connor Sutton Cronin noted that the current number of up to 100 parking spaces in the area would be reduced to 60 in the plan. They also said the scheme would increase safety for pedestrians and cyclists, which 'could lead to a reduction in car parking demand'. They recommended that on-street parking in Kilcullen be regulated to a maximum of two hours duration. Implementation of the redevelopment is currently costed at €1.4 million, with funding from development levies over the three years of the council's Capital Programme 2025-2027.

In 2022, Kildare councillors adopted a Framework Document for a County Parking Policy, which each Municipal District takes into consideration during reviews of Bye-Laws. Among the provisions are that parking regulations shall apply Monday-Saturday inclusive except on public holidays, from 9.30am-5.30pm. Town centres and high-density business and shopping districts have a maximum stay of one hour and perimeter areas a maximum stay of two hours.

Long-Term Parking would be restricted to off-street parking under the policy.

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