Laois County Council has announced the opening of a new Car Park and Transport Hub located at Railway Street, Portlaoise.
The Car Park and Transport Hub are owned and operated by the Council and are now open for public use.
The development includes 92 car park spaces, 12 of which are e-car charging spaces with a mix of fast, intermediate, and slow chargers.
Four spaces are designated spaces for disabled badge parking.
The development includes an access road, taxi and bus-service set-down bays together with sheltered cycle parking and biodiversity friendly landscaping.
Speaking at the launch of the new Car-Park, Cathaoirleach of Laois County Council, Councillor Paschal McEvoy said:
“I am delighted to see this car park opening to the public. The car park provides easy access to Portlaoise Town Centre and to Portlaoise Train Station.
“The car park will act as an economic support to Portlaoise town centre and as a means of promoting public transport use and other, sustainable forms of transport.”
Cllr Catherine Fitzgerald, Cathaoirleach of the Portlaoise Municipal District Committee, added:
“I am delighted to see this car park opening to the public and it has been finished to a very high standard, providing for appropriate, sustainable, development on a key site, adjacent to Portlaoise Town Centre.
“Taken in conjunction with the adjoining residential development I am also delighted to observe the ongoing allocation of residential units on the same site.“
John Mulholland, Chief Executive of Laois County Council, confirmed that “the completion of the new car park and transport hub on the former CBS lands marks another positive step forward in the regenerative vision for Portlaoise Town Centre.
“The new hub, which will cater for car, bus and bicycle parking, has come about as a result of a formal and very welcome partnership between Laois County Council and Ardain Developments.
“The project has benefitted from financial support from Laois County Council and the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage through the Urban Regeneration Development Fund and Ireland 2040.
“The URDF has been of significant assistance to Portlaoise over the past three years and I am grateful to the Department for its role in supporting Laois County Council in so many landmark projects that would not have advanced were it not for the Fund.
“I also grateful to Ardain Developments for their high level of collaboration and their willingness to get on board with Laois County Council from the outset of the project.
“Needless to say the new transport hub will benefit the many commuters that use Portlaoise Railway station and will present motorists with better and more accessible modes of transport.”
The car park will operate from 7am, Thursday, November 9 as a paid-parking car park.
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