New measures planned for Longford's Barley Harbour following concerns
Cllr Seán Mimnagh has arranged for parking spaces to be marked out in a bid to help ease what has been described as “traffic mayhem” on busy days. Also included in the works are yellow box markings and associated signage to ensure the access to the slipway remains clear for the lifeboats and boat users.
New measures are to be introduced at Newtowncashel’s Barley Harbour in the coming weeks in a bid to prevent vehicles from obstructing the area used by the lifeboat services and local boat users.
The critical work was organised by Cllr Seán Mimnagh after he witnessed first hand the chaotic parking that often blocked access to the slipway.
Cllr Mimnagh has been working to improve and preserve the harbour, even successfully securing the lease for the council last March following a year and a half of negotiations.
Speaking to the Longford Leader, the Lanesboro councillor said, “I called for a public consultation in Newtowncashel in March. The main idea is to preserve Barley Harbour as it is and to try and enhance it.”
“What we don’t want is to turn it into some super holiday destination that gets taken over. Ultimately it's a lovely spot and a lot of people go out there camping. This can mean there's often a lot of traffic and they just park up everywhere and anywhere as there's no markings in front of the harbour or in front of the marina.”
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Recalling the traffic upheaval he witnessed first hand, Cllr Mimnagh said, “Two weeks ago when I was at a memorial fishing competition, I went up to see what the mayhem was like. There is no way the lifeboat could have launched from there with all the cars that were parked up.”
“Barley Harbour is the only place where the lifeboat can go out on the Longford side between Lanesboro and Athlone so it's critical that the access point is not blocked. The people from Newtoncashel, the community, the fishermen, the fishing club, they all launch from there also and they too have an awful difficulty getting out.”
On the day in question, Cllr Mimnagh asked people to move their cars and boat trailers so the blockage was cleared. In a bid to prevent a repeat of what he had witnessed however, he immediately contacted the area engineer and brought them to the harbour in the days that followed to see the issue for themselves.
The councillor explained, “I brought them up to have a look at it and to see about getting the area mapped up with a yellow box in front of the slipway, car parking spaces marked out, and to get some signage up. I also got onto the community department about putting up a sign with the actual bylaws of the area so the laws are there for people to see.”
He added, “Ultimately my aim is to try and get the place going. It's going to take time because it's a long time there and nothing has been done with it. I want to try and implement some sort of an understanding that the area must be kept clear. Signage should do it but we may need to send out the wardens every now and then, particularly in hot weather.”
“Barley Harbour is there for everybody to enjoy, but we have to respect these areas. If there's double yellow lines and parking boxes which are going to go in as I’ve been assured by the area engineer, then people need to adhere to that otherwise the Gardaí will have to start getting involved in it alongside the council.”
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