Drivers find new footpaths useful for parking

Vehicles parked on the new extended footpaths on High Street over the course of the weekend

THE whole idea behind the new mobility plan implemented on the streets of Killarney, which is part of Kerry County Council’s Covid-19 Safe Destination programme, has obviously been lost on several motorists who appear to be taking the construction of double-width footpaths to facilitate social distancing as an invitation to park up on them.

Whether or not it can be attributed to a lack of explanatory signage, there were many examples of cars and motorcycles mounting the kerbs on the newly laid pavements to park on throughout the course of the weekend with parking spaces at a premium as the town was particularly busy.

In keeping with the recommendation of the Safe Destination programme, extra pedestrian space has been created on all streets to ensure social distancing requirements are adhered to.

A newly laid footpath on New Street proved attractive for bikers to park on

The work has included the provision of significantly wider footpaths and the erection of temporary bollards to reduce the number of vehicles parked adjacent to paths which will allow safer pedestrian movement.

The plan also sees Plunkett Street fully pedestrianised 24 hours a day until September 2 while the slip road in front of the International and Ross Hotels, from Kenmare Place to East Avenue Road, is also off limits for vehicles.

The scene on New Street on Sunday afternoon

To free up as many parking spaces as possible, in the car parks and on the streets, free parking in the Rock Road car park is provided every Thursday and Friday.

Residents and business owners with parking permits are being encouraged to park in car parks rather than as close as possible to their business premises and additional loading bays have been created in the Glebe car park.

Kerry County Council has developed the mobility plan for the town to ensure that public health advice and guidelines can be adhered to with shops, retail outlets and services reopened.

The overall aim is to enable the town to fully return to work, to allow retail and leisure activities to restart and businesses to reopen in line with government guidelines.

The plan is guided by a number of core principles which include, where practical, to comply with current public health guidance on social distancing, allowing sufficient space for a person to keep a two-metre separation from others.

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