Just five submissions received on Tipperary parking charge overhaul
Just five people across Tipperary have so far made submissions on plans to harmonise parking charges across the county.
Tipperary County Council is seeking to align parking charges across the county’s major towns, bringing into line charges that currently vary from town to town.
The council is aiming to address a challenge that has been ongoing since north and south Tipperary county councils were amalgamated to form Tipperary County Council in 2014.
At the February meeting of the Tipperary-Cahir-Cashel Municipal District, Independent councillor Máirín McGrath said that there had been a very poor uptake in the number of submissions received, and said that the consultation period had been extended to allow more people to have their say.
"It’s really important that we would flag that people need to engage with the council’s bylaw process. I think only five submissions came in to date,” Cllr McGrath said.
Plans for the new parking charges would see pay parking be implemented on a tiered basis, with parking in some areas costing more than others.
For example, Clonmel would be a tier one town, with short-term on street parking costing €1 for 30 minutes, parking for up to an hour on the town’s streets would cost €1.20, while medium zone parking would cost a maximum of €5.40 for four hours. All day parking tickets on the streets of Clonmel would cost €4.50.
This compares to €1 for 30 minutes of on-street parking in Tipperary town, a tier three town, while parking for an hour on the street would cost €1, with a medium zone parking ticket for four hours costing €3.40. All day on street parking would cost €3.70.
Cllr McGrath said the changes will be very important, and urged people to have their say via the official channels while the consultation period is open.
“I think it will be important, especially for people here because there is a lot of changes coming in terms of parking fees, and I just wanted to bring people’s attention to that,” she added.
Members of the public can view the draft by-laws on the council’s website, and have their say on the changes by emailing parkingbyelaws@tipperarycoco.ie, or in writing to Liam Brett, Director of Services, Tipperary County Council, Civic Offices, Limerick Road, Nenagh, Co. Tipperary.
Those who would prefer to look at the parking charge bylaws in person can do so at any of the council offices across Tipperary, from Monday to Friday between the hours of 9.30am and 4.30pm.
The consultation process has been extended until March 13.