Cars are being parked on paths and grass at Kildare lesiure centre
'Kildare County Council should make it easier for people to walk there'
A lack of parking spaces means that motorists are parking on footpaths and grass areas near the Naas Sports Centre and K Leisure premises in Naas.
This prompted a call from Cllr Evie Sammon for Kildare County Council to conduct a road safety audit there, including the junction on the Old Caragh Road leading to the campus.
She highlighted a potential safety risk with children trying to access the facility and “cars going every which way.”
Cllr Sammon added: “We need to formalise the crossing that’s being used.”
Cllr Fintan Bett criticised the car park for the amount of water that gathers when it rains.
He claimed the water is “deeper in the car park than in the swimming pool.”
Cllr Bill Clear said KCC should make it easier for people to walk and cycle to the centre, even though a pedestrian crossing was previously ruled out by KCC.
He said plans to improve the parking provision “won’t be the greatest solution.”
KCC engineer Chris Galvin said K-Leisure has planning permission for an extension to the existing public car park, the relocation of the entrance to existing carpark and the reconfiguration of the carpark layout to create a one-way system.
He also said this permission also includes some reconfiguration of the junction at Old Caragh Road. and K-Leisure “(is) expected to progress these works in the near future.”