Businesses in Ballisodare have come together to express frustration and disappointment regarding works that are being carried out in the village that will result in the loss of five parking spaces along the main street.
The long-awaited road safety improvement works to construct a pedestrian crossing in the village got underway on Monday, August 31, but local businesses are left wondering for their future as the works will result in the loss of five parking spaces.
Business owners insist they have no issue with the need for safety works, which are anticipated to take a month to complete, but have been left perplexed by the local authority’s failure to provide alternative parking spaces insisting the viability of local businesses could be in jeopardy.
Eilis Barrett who runs the local Mace convenience store and Post Office expressed her frustration saying, “Ballisodare is the fastest expanding village in the county, but businesses won’t be viable.”
Ms Barrett was left particularly dismayed by the public consultation process which was held late last year with local businesses submitting a joint proposal only to learn at the start of this year that their input had, in their opinion, been overlooked.
“We have highlighted our issues over the past few months trying to come to some conclusions but we are just falling on deaf ears. As businesses we are trying to future proof the village so that we are not complaining in six months time that our village isn’t viable anymore.”
She added, “We were left disillusioned that there was a public consultation and nothing was taken on board.
“You’re going to get no one to leave SuperValu to come up to the middle of the street to come across to go down to Brian (Sherlock’s Butchers), that’s not going to happen.”
Stressing that she and the other businesses are not opposed to safety measures being implemented, Ms Barrett said, “That was never the issue; the issue was always regarding the location of it, where it wouldn’t impact us as businesses in the whole street. It’s not just me, it’s not just Brian, it’s everybody.”
She added, “We did put in an objection and there was about 20 signatures from all the different businesses to come up with a solution so that if you are taking the five spots off us, what is your solution.”
“We understand that it is the N59, we understand that it is a major road but if people can’t stop, they will keep going and that will have an awful impact.”
“What is the point in having the largest expanding village in the county and then you won’t have businesses in six months time because they won’t be viable. “
Further outlining her frustration, she said, “People give out about the busses and being stuck for 20 minutes going through the village. Imagine trying to live here, imagine trying to work here.
“The pedestrian crossing is going ahead, that’s fine, but is Sligo County Council going to provide additional car parking spaces in some other part of the village; we don’t know and we are not being told. It seems to be going around in circles.”
Those sentiments were echoed by Brian O’Reilly, proprietor of Sherlock’s Butchers who feels the disappearance of five vital parking spaces could threaten the future of his and other businesses.
Originally from Carton, Mr O’Reilly said he envisaged his shop being a central part of community life in Ballisodare. Growing up playing gaelic football and soccer, Mr O’Reilly said his goal was to be, “a major part of the community, sponsoring jerseys, sponsoring whatever I needed to sponsor for whatever is going on within the local community. That’s not dwindling but my ability to do that would be hampered because my business isn’t as plentiful as what I want it to be.
“I really want to be that link between the coaches who want bibs and balls to help the community, which is a growing population. It’s a booming village, it has everything you need, except parking to allow every business to have a fair chance to make a success of it.”
“We want Ballisodare to grow, we want it to be safe, we want a bit of forward thinking.”
“I have only recently taken over the business. It has been in Ballisodare for 80 plus years and I want to see it continue for that amount of time and if they take away all the parking without a plan for parking, there is no way businesses are viable in Ballisodare village. They are on about upgrading the village and doing all these beautiful things in the village but if you don’t have businesses running in the village, what is the point in having beautiful surroundings if there is nothing in it.”
One service that he is offering to combat the lack of parking illustrates the difficulties faced.
“If people come and have children in the car, I tell them to phone in the order the next time they are coming through; they can pay by card over the phone and I will drop their shopping out to the car to them. I have to offer that because the alternative is when they are doing there big shop, wherever it might be, they’ll just do all in the one shop.”
A summary of the submissions from the Section 38 Public Consultation relating to the N59 Ballisodare Pedestrian Crossing Road Safety Improvement Scheme referred to the issue of the loss of five parking spaces stating: “Acknowledged but outside the scope of this safety scheme; alternative parking to be considered in other schemes being progressed by Sligo County Council.”
Of the 10 submissions received during the public consultation process, the most pressing issue according to the post consultation report was the loss of five parking spaces with the report adding: “Following a comprehensive review, it is recommended that the scheme proceed as proposed, as it addresses an immediate pedestrian safety risk identified through TII Network Safety Analysis.”
Under the conclusions and recommendations section of the report it is noted that the scheme cannot address the issue of replacing the lost parking spaces, adding: “Co-ordination with other ongoing projects is underway to seek to address this issue. It is recommended that the scheme proceed as proposed, as it resolves an immediate pedestrian safety risk and falls within the remit of Section 38 of the Road Traffic Act.”
The issue of parking spaces was also addressed in the responses section of the report where it states: “A request has been made to the relevant Council departments responsible for the development of other larger schemes currently being progressed in Ballisodare to consider the provision of alternative parking by Sligo County Council.”
Further details regarding potential future schemes was also addressed in the report which noted: “The National Transport Authority (NTA), through Sligo County Council’s Roads Department, is currently progressing a bus stop relocation scheme for Ballisodare Village.
“Sligo County Council’s Regional Design Office is advancing planning for an Active Travel Scheme along the N59 in Ballisodare town and environs. This Scheme is funded by the TII. Sligo County Council through the Town Regeneration Office is also developing the ‘Connecting Ballisodare RRDF’ and ‘Ballisodare Town First’ projects for the village.
It was noted in the report that all other schemes are currently at preliminary stages of development and a note of caution was added saying: “There is no guarantee that all these separate schemes will progress, and even in a best‑case scenario, it is likely to be five to seven years before such schemes would reach construction stage.”
Article Funded by the Local Democracy Reporting Scheme.