Free afternoon parking returns in Mayo town this Christmas but all-day proposal is rejected
The time for Christmas shopping is upon us, and the familiar stress of finding a parking space close to the shops, along with remembering to bring coins, has returned.
In Ballina, free parking across council car parks has been granted for a number of years to ease Christmas shopping pressures while also encouraging residents to shop local.
Once again, Ballina Municipal District has agreed to grant free parking across all seven of its car parks during the holiday shopping period.
From Monday, December 8 until Wednesday December 31, parking will be free from 2pm every day.
Car parks included are; Humbert Street, Bachelors Walk, Emmett Street, Barrett Street, Market Square, Pearse Street and Teeling Street.
Normal pay-and-display parking will still apply from 9.30am until 2pm in these car parks, and on-street parking will remain regular pay-and-display from 9.30am until 6.30pm.
During the November meeting of the Ballina Municipal District, Cllr Marie Therese Duffy proposed extending free parking from 9.30am onwards in the week before Christmas to further help shoppers.
“It’s great to see this being offered to people. So many people come home from abroad this time of year and town is busy and everyone's shopping and trying to spend local,
“Is there any possibility to implement free parking for the whole day in the council car parks in the week leading up to Christmas so that people don't have to think about pay and display,” she asked.
This proposal was declined by the Head of the Municipal District, Declan Turnbull, who explained that if parking was free all day, workers coming into town would fill the spaces early, leaving no room for shoppers later in the day.
The intention of the free parking is specifically to support shoppers and local businesses.
Mr Turnbull added that, although not directly related to Christmas parking, the council is also promoting the Mayo E-Parking app so that anyone without change, or who are running out of time while still in town, can easily pay or top up their parking.
Cllr Annie May Reape noted that some people continue to pay for parking out of a force of habit, and suggested that the council place stickers over the pay-and-display machines.
This suggestion was turned down, as Mr Turnbull pointed out that the free parking initiative is already being widely promoted by the council and local organisations, such as the Ballina Chamber of Commerce, through social media and local media outlets.
This article has been funded by the Local Democracy Reporting Scheme.