Cobh councillors seek site for park and ride amid summer parking pressure

A call is going out for private landowners to help provide a site for a potential park-and-ride facility in one of the premier tourist towns in Co Cork.

Cobh has become a victim of its own success. With the record fine weather, the town attracted a huge number of tourists during the summer. But limited parking spaces in the town are preventing it from increasing its visitor numbers even further.

Independent Ireland councillor Ger Curley told a meeting of Cobh Municipal District Council that every option should be explored to get a park-and-ride system on the outskirts of the town, with a shuttle bus operating to and from the town centre.

“This is because of the lack of parking and the explosion of visitors coming to Cobh during the summer months. It is fabulous to see the number of visitors, but very frustrating for them when they can’t find parking spaces,” Mr Curley said.

He said visitors are being drawn by the more than 100 cruise liners docking in the town this year.

“We also have Spike Island, the Heritage Centre, Titanic Tours and the Titanic Experience. There are also ongoing activities on the promenade, markets every Saturday and a number of festivals that attract them,” he said.

Mr Curley said some visitors are abandoning their cars in housing estates, “leaving local residents feeling like prisoners in their own homes.” 

“Surely there is some area where we can make this park and ride available. If the council can’t find a suitable site then maybe a private landowner might help us out,” he added.

Labour councillor Cathal Rasmussen agreed that the council should put the request to landowners.

Municipal district officer Páraig Lynch also thought the idea was worth exploring.

Mr Lynch said the council had approached local schools to ask about the use of their car parks during the summer holidays.

“It should be noted that the municipal district has contacted schools in Cobh in previous years to determine if the carparks in those schools could be used as temporary carparking during the summer months. Many schools use the summer months to get works to the buildings and site carried out and this has prevented schools from assisting in this regard,” Mr Lynch said.

“I think it is incumbent on us in the council to do everything in our power to access a park and ride system for our town going forward,” Mr Curley added.

Public toilet request 

Meanwhile, Mr Rasmussen asked the council to create another public toilet in Cobh for visitors. He suggested it could be developed near the Titanic Garden.

Mr Lynch said the council did not own much land in that area but would look into the request.