New Park and Share Facility (M1)

Transport Infrastructure Ireland and Louth County Council are opening of Ireland’s first purpose-built Park and Share Facility on the Motorway Network. The new facility off junction 16 (formally the N52 Junction) is now open.

The 226 Parking Bay Facility represents an investment in the order of €1 million and will significantly improve safety at the junctions off the M1 Motorway, in particular the N33, N53 and R215 where there is an existing safety issue of parking in the verge.

This delivery of this facility is included as an action within TII’s Climate Action Plan. 

The project incorporates:

  • 226 Parking Bays (incl. 22 Disabled parking bays)
  • Wired for Electric Vehicles (EV) – all parking bays have been wired for electric vehicles, with 10 bays to be opened initially in a few weeks’ time
  • Flood Lighting
  • CCTV Cameras
  • A turnaround area to facilitate pick up and drop offs
  • Pedestrian footpaths
  • Safe access off the R215
  • Closing of existing hard-shoulders on the N33, N53 and R215 to prevent future onroad parking
  • VMS Signage directing drivers to the Park and Share

The Park and Share Facility was initiated and funded by TII. The site was originally identified through the TII Road Safety Inspection process, which found that there was dangerous parking taking place in the verge and hard shoulders of the National Routes adjacent to the M1.

The scheme was progressed by Louth County Council as well as technical advisors for the scheme, Bruton Consulting Engineers and PMCE. Construction works were undertaken by ACS Civils Ltd.

The opening of the scheme means that vehicles currently parking adjacent to high-speed national roads will now be able to park safely in a purpose-built parking facility. The facility will have the added benefit of also incentivising more vehicle sharing and access to private bus operators, which in turn will reduce the environmental impact of commuting in individual cars.