Call for review of pay parking charges in Tipperary town

Tipperary town is to carry out a review of its pay parking system in a bid to compete with other towns such as Thurles and Cashel.

With protesters marching outside the chamber calling for a full scrapping of all charges (see story p12), Councillors Martin Browne and John Crosse called for a review of the pay parking strategy, or “that this Council look at implementing a two-hour free parking on all streets in Tipperary town. This is to help increase the footfall on the Main Street which is really struggling to maintain business. To compensate for the loss of revenue with this measure to the Council, a charge be imposed on the all-day parking in the off street car parks.”

Currently, Tipp town has free parking from Saturday, December 1, until close of business on December 31. Cashel also has special arrangements (see p29). Senior Engineer Aidan Finn said it's a matter of councillors sitting down with a consultant, and “coming up with various scenarios, and the councillors can choose which scenario.”

District Director Claire Curley said the emphasis is not on pay parking, but on traffic management. “You want to maximise it in terms of encouraging turnover.” The current system encourages shoppers to do their business and move on, instead of taking up a parking space in the town centre all day. The Council can look at the bylaws and “come back to you in 2019,” added Ms Curley. There is also a 20-minute grace period for shoppers who want to move on quickly. “This is an informal arrangement which was previously agreed with the members and has led to a substantial reduction in income. It should be noted that, in Tipperary town, there are currently 175 free parking spaces in the local authority owned car parks. “Parking enforcement is an integral part of ensuring that there is a free flow through each town, thereby ensuring that there is adequate parking available for customers and visitors at all times. As the budget for 2019 has been adopted, it is not possible to consider this request at this stage.”

Cllr Denis Leahy said he campaigned pay parking when it was introduced in 2007. “’Pay and display - no way’, was our motto,” he said. “Businesses like mine are competing free parking by the multiples, for example in Station Road.” Small retailers cannot compete against the large multiples who offer free parking and “every service that's done on the Main Street. It is unfair competition. People vote with their cars. They don't want to pay.” In 2007 the town was choked, but not now. “Unfortunately, people are being asked to pay two or three thousand in revenue, but what do we now get for that,” asked Cllr Leahy. “Services have been cut back from what they were years and years ago.”

Cllr Mary Hanna Hourigan said she had spoken to business people, who told her to keep the pay parking, and called for stickers to be put on the machines advertising the free 20-minute period.

Cllr Roger Kennedy said there was no harmonisation of charges, within or between, towns in Co. Tipperary. “Tread carefully, because other towns have different charges for different areas.”