Railway car park charges defended
Fee will not be waived on Sundays/bank holidays
Iarnród Eireann say charges discourage parking at rail stations by non-rail users.
Wednesday April 08 2009
Representatives from the company met with councillors on the Malahide/Howth Area Committee last week and put up a staunch defence of the charges. The company said the charges discouraged parking at rail stations by non-rail users and kept spaces available for genuine commuters. The rail company dismissed an idea from the committee that the charges be waived on Sundays and bank holidays. A spokesperson for the company told the committee that Sundays and bank holidays were business days on the rail network so there was no justification for lifting the charges on those days.
Cllr Eoghan O'Brien (FF) pressed the company on that point, asking if the company wanted to keep its car parks for the travelling public even on Sundays and bank holidays, then genuine rail commuters should get a rebate on those days.
The councillor's question was not answered directly by the company who said the charges of € 2 per day and € 8 per week and a new € 30 monthly rate were reasonable. The company also rejected the notion put forward by Cllr Peter Coyle (Lab) that some motorists were 'innocently' getting clamped or fined because they were not aware of the Sunday charge - particularly in Portmarnock.
Iarnród Eireann said there were now 22 signs around the Portmarnock rail station car park informing people of the parking charges. The company said that more than 98% of people parking in rail stations across the county were in compliance with the new parking charge rules.
- JOHN MANNING
