A new park and ride facility is being planned near Newry City.
It will provide direct access on to the A1 Belfast Road, via the adjacent Sheepbridge grade separated junction.
The park and ride and share facility will consist of 106 spaces and would be located just 100 metres from a bus stop.
An application for the construction of the park – which would cost close to £100,000 to deliver – has been submitted to Newry, Mourne and Down District Council for consideration.
The applicant is the Department for Infrastructure Southern Division.
Council planners, in being presented with the proposal, have been told there is a real need in the area.
A supporting statement lodged with the papers reveals: “There are no park and ride/share facilities adjacent to the A1 at either Banbridge or Loughbrickland.
“Provision on this stretch is at Newry with 25 spaces at Cloghogue and 63 spaces at Sheepbridge.
“Provision of additional spaces on the A1 corridor is seen as a priority by the Park and Ride Management Board.
“The community and local council have expressed concerns regarding the regular impact of all day parking in Loughbrickland village.
“The issue has also been raised in planning applications for extension to the local doctors surgery and a filling station.”
The site – an area of grassland – has been described after extensive research as the “only suitable location” in the area for a park and ride facility.
In addition, there is also room available on site for the facility to be extended in the future.
Council is expected to make a decision on the application within the coming months.
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