Strand car park set to be closed for lengthy period

The Strand car park in Athlone will be closed for parking until next December, Uisce Éireann has confirmed to the Westmeath Independent.

Barring approximately five spaces facing Payne's Lane and Beans and Leaves cafe, the town centre car park is currently shut to cars as is a portion of the approach along the Strand road.

A spokesperson for the utility said “significant construction works” including shaft construction and tunnelling is required at this location as part of the €114 million wastewater project.

“A traffic management system will be in place until December 2024,” the spokesperson said.

A map supplied by Uisce Éirean shows that two sections of the The Strand road approaching the car park will be closed as part of the works along with the vast majority of the parking area.

Preparation works started just prior to Christmas to facilitate the underground tunnelling works at several locations, including Payne's Lane, Wolf Tone Terrace/Griffith St, The Strand Car Park, and The Quay. While these works are in progress, temporary traffic management measures will be in place.

Over at the rear of Sean's Bar along The Quay, the team are removing approximately 18m of the flood wall, more than the 10m initially stated. Temporary flood prevention measures, agreed with the OPW and Westmeath County Council have been installed to provide protection from any potential flood events for the duration of the works in this area.

These measures will remain in place until the shaft works are complete, and the flood wall has been reinstated.

Uisce Éireann said the installation of almost three kilometres of underground sewer pipes will bring the Athlone Main Drainage Scheme one step closer to the ultimate goal of reducing the risk of sewer flooding in Athlone, whilst addressing non-compliant sewer overflows to the River Shannon.

Ward and Burke Construction Ltd, who are delivering the Athlone Main Drainage Scheme on behalf of Uisce Éireann, are expected to be complete work in the fourth quarter of 2025.