KILDARE: Free Christmas parking could be done away with

Motorists who are allowed to park for free at some car park settings operated by Kildare County Council may see the concession disappear.

This follows a call by a majority of councillors for KCC to  review the practice of suspending paid parking bye-laws during the Christmas period.

A motion tabled by a number of councillors said this was being done in order to be consistent with climate action legislation and the council's policy objectives to enhance the percentages of people using  sustainable transport modes of walking, cycling and public transport. 

Councillors  based in the Naas area again agreed to suspend pay parking in KCC run car parks (but not on the streets) for the month of December.

One of these, Carmel Kelly, told a Kildare County Council meeting that the decision should be made by individual municipal districts - rather than the full council body.

Cllr Kelly also pointed out that public transport in rural areas needs to be improved before the concession goes.

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Cllr Naoise Ó Cearúil  said this is one of the few decisions that municipal districts can make and local businesses should be consulted before this is done.

Cllr Fintan Brett criticised the suspension of charges saying that car park spaces are taken up all day as a result - and this is one of the unintended consequences of the move.

The need to support businesses was stressed by Cllr Michael Coleman.

“We’re driving people out to supermarkets on the outskirts of towns where there are plenty of spaces,” he said.

He said the councillors should look at themselves and said they were availing of a free car park in Aras Chill Dara and ”we get travel expenses.”

At the same time he said “we’re telling old people to get on a bike or walk.”

Cllr Bill Clear said the concession is a way to give something back to businesses, though he conceded it is abused.

Independent councillor Vanessa Liston said there is an assumption it benefits business but it’s not known if this is true and there's a need for information and evidence.

Cllr Ide Cussen supported the review, saying that when parking is free people simply park all day.

In Leixlip, said Cllr Brendan Caldwell, some people use free parking to drive into the town and then get the bus to shopping centres elsewhere.

Cllr Pádraig McEvoy said studies have shown that pay parking effectively regulates the turnover of parking spaces.

KCC official Celina Barrett pointed out the  transport sector must reduce its emissions by 50% by 2030. 

“This is an ambitious target and we need to consider all policy decisions in this light. Pay parking is an issue for the members to decide, however, we would ask that the climate targets be taken into consideration.”

Ms Barrett said most businesses don't benefit from the concession while people with disabilities and older people find it harder to park.