Park-and-ride closesat Waterside railway

SDLP Councillor Martin Reilly has expressed concern after the park-and-ride facility at the old Waterside Railway Station was closed to facilitate works to the new North West Multi-Modal Transport Hub.
Artists impression of the North-West Multi-Modal Transport HubArtists impression of the North-West Multi-Modal Transport Hub
Artists impression of the North-West Multi-Modal Transport Hub

Colr. Reilly, speaking at a meeting of Derry City and Strabane District Council’s Business and Culture Committee on Tuesday, said he was delighted works were commencing on the new facility but voiced concern about the impact of displaced car parking on nearby residents.

The Waterside councillor also said the closure of the park-and-ride, immediately adjacent to the train station, could potentially “put people off using the rail service”.

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Speaking on the same day it was announced that contractor Farrans, working alongside railway engineers Rhomberg Sersa JV, would build the new hub, Colr. Reilly said an alternative car parking solution needed to be provided for those commuters who had previously used the riverside park-and-ride.

He said he didn’t want to see a situation where the narrow Waterside streets directly to the east of the station, around Spencer Road and Chapel Road in particular, became clogged with unwanted cars.

“It’s already having a knock-on effect for residents in the Chapel Road area,” said Colr. Reilly.

The SDLP representative suggested two possible alternatives to the temporarily discontinued park-and-ride.

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The first was to offer DC&SDC’s own off-street parking across the river as a park-and-ride in the interim. The second was to ask if the civil service’s Waterside House car park on Duke Street could be opened up. It was agreed officers would look at the options and report back to members.