‘Very unfair’ parking charges ‘affecting footfall’ in Tipperary town

Clonmel town centre is suffering “very unfair” treatment when it comes to parking charges because it does not receive the same footfall as other towns.

This was stated by Councillor Pat English at a Clonmel district meeting.

He said almost half of the money raised from parking charges in the county came from Clonmel, where charges are higher than in other towns.

He said the fees had not changed in the ten years since the Clonmel district was created following the merger of North and South Tipperary county councils.

Fees should be harmonized across the country, he said.

Councillor Richie Molloy said when people dropped their children off at school in Clonmel in the morning their priority was to “get out of town as quickly as possible” in case they were given a parking ticket.

An hour of free parking in the morning would make all the difference and encourage people to stay in town.

He acknowledged that half an hour of free parking was available in the Mary Street car park, but said the time limit was “too tight”.

Councillor Niall Dennehy backed his colleagues but said when the ‘financiers’ considered the harmonisation proposal it would likely mean an increase for everyone rather than a reduction in charges in Clonmel.

In a written response to Councillor English’s request, District Administrator Carol Creighton said preliminary work had been undertaken with respect to harmonising parking rates across the county. Earlier this year, the SPC (Strategic Policy Committee) reviewed the challenges associated with this project.

The next steps will be to discuss the options in more detail with the new SPC when it is established and then make a recommendation to Tipperary County Council.

Councillor Siobhán Ambrose said she looked forward to hearing the SPC’s proposals.

District Mayor Michael Murphy said 46 per cent of the county’s parking revenue came from Clonmel. This was a real anomaly, as on-street parking charges were €1.20 per hour in Clonmel but only 50 cents per hour in other towns. He did not think this would be solved under the SPC.

Councillor Murphy said options should be explored to find a solution, such as extending the amount of free parking in the Mary Street car park in the morning or providing an hour of free parking throughout the day.

He said the issue was a priority for him as mayor and he had already raised it with the county council’s roads director and former council chief executive, Joe MacGrath.

Acting city manager Jonathan Cooney said after speaking to the county council’s roads department, the issue is being considered for all towns in the county.