New £345K park and ride area to help the town railway station

The new parking development is proposed for Translink land close to Brownlow Terrace.

The scheme has been welcomed by SDLP MLA Dolores Kelly who has been lobbied by residents and businesses close to the station complaining of the high number of commuters taking up parking spaces.

The 70 additional spaces would be located at Brownlow Terrace, accessed from a new vehicular access.

The park and ride spaces are expected to be provided in 2015 at an approximate cost of £345,000.

According to Translink the scheme is at an early development stage and costs and timescales are very approximate.

Mrs Kelly said she has been lobbying the Department of Regional Development to provide additional park and ride sites in the area.

In a query to the Minister Danny Kennedy on whether there are plans to review car parking provision at Lurgan and Portadown Translink Railway Stations, he said he was looking at potential schemes for both areas.

Ms Kelly said: “The scheme under consideration in Lurgan would add 70 further spaces to the 145 already there, and in Portadown where there are currently 84 spaces; the potential scheme there aims to add another 200 spaces.

“This is welcome news that action is being taken to improve the situation with regards to car parking in both towns and I hope the schemes are followed through with and the much needed car parking spaces are delivered.”

In response to Mrs Kelly’s query, Mr Kennedy said: “I have liaised with Translink officials who advised that they are currently looking at potential schemes for both Lurgan and Portadown as part of its park and ride programme.

“The scheme under consideration in Lurgan would add 70 further spaces to the 145 already there. In Portadown there are currently 84 spaces; the potential scheme there aims to add another 200 spaces.

“My department also has its own Park & Ride Strategic Delivery Programme 2013-15’ which is a prioritised schedule of new Park & Ride projects in the next 2 years. Portadown is included in this programme as a ‘project under consideration’.

“Funding has been set aside for Park & Ride in my Department’s budget,” said Mr Kennedy.

“However, the implementation of Park & Ride schemes will take place in a constrained budgetary context.”