Call to introduce adhesive parking tickets in Meath
A proposal to introduce adhesive parking tickets across Meath has been put forward by local councillor Emer Tóibín.
The motion, presented at the July meeting of Meath County Council, called for a “small” change to the design of parking tickets issued from the county’s public machines—specifically, the addition of an adhesive strip to allow drivers to securely affix tickets to their windscreens.
Cllr Tóibín said the adjustment would also enhance visibility for traffic wardens and reduce disputes.
“This small change would ensure better visibility for traffic wardens, reduce the number of disputed fines due to dislodged or misplaced tickets, and improve the overall efficiency of parking enforcement across the county,” she said.
However, Meath County Council responded by noting that Parking Services has been advised that such incidents—where tickets blow away or fall from dashboards—are very rare. In cases where fines are issued under these circumstances, they can be appealed and resolved with proof of payment.
The council also explained that all current meters in three towns were installed in 2020, and the ticket type cannot be altered without replacing the machines entirely.
Looking ahead, the council stated it is focused on adopting modern technology as existing meters reach the end of their service life.
Planned upgrades include the installation of modern smart parking meters that will support contactless and multi-payment options, including coins, credit and debit cards, mobile wallets, and apps. This would eliminate the need for printed tickets altogether.
The new meters will also feature license plate recognition technology. Dynamic pricing based on demand, time of day, or special events will also be introduced, along with improved energy efficiency through solar-powered, low-consumption designs.
In her motion, Cllr Tóibín stated that adhesive tickets are already in use in other local authorities. However, Meath County Council clarified that after consulting with other councils, their Parking Team found that none currently use adhesive tickets.