[Article] Pay and Display on the way

[plant43]

Originally Posted by Mark Gleeson

It is a CIE operation.

What other option do people have, if there was a better option than the train they would already be using it. If you bought an annual ticket you have no choice really but to stick it out. Come January there might be a real change as most annual tickets run calender year

I'm sure alot of people in Skerries could walk. It would be interesting for someone to do a survey on car park usage in stations to see how far away the average car park user is. I would wager (and I have said this in the past) that most people using Skerries train station live 10-15 minutes walk away from the station.

Looks like they aren't clamping yet. On my way back I found one car with no ticket and a handwritten notice on the windscreen saying "This is a pay and display area".

Incidentally, one of the signs indicates that paying by credit card is possible, but I can't find out how. Anyone know if this is actually possible.

[Mark]

How about a big sign at every station saying "Could you have walked here instead?"

[plant43]

Originally Posted by Mark

How about a big sign at every station saying "Could you have walked here instead?"

Honestly, with the way things are going, this wouldn't be a bad idea. I know of people who drive 100 yards to the shop and drive 100 yards back home again. People are in the mindset that anything over three minutes walk is a job for the car.

[Mark]

With time spent finding spaces and in traffic etc. walking can be quicker over some distances. The laziness of people really baffles me.

[chipper]

Two weeks on and it is interesting to see the usual faces appearing back on the trains and in the car park. There was a definite change last week with many people going missing but all have either given up on the driving to Dublin after a week or given up on walking to the station. I know of one person in work who walked to Drogheda station last week but is now back in the car after a few soakings.

[tigger1962]

in my station the carpark is about 3/4 full most days. but quite a few people using the carpark are not using the train. Its now cheaper to park in station than in the local council long term carpark.

I get the 06.35 train in the mornings and there is a noticeable pattern... those who used to use the station are now on the streets outside the station. those who used not get parking in the station now are parking in the station. As stated by someone else, many of those have annual tickets and there might be a distinct change when they expire. for charging annual users the approx €500 extra they might end up losing €2600! or in our case €5200 as we both use the train!

I have been looking at the alternatives and unless something changes we have decided to use the private bus service when our annual ticket expires! which we see will save us €450 per annum

[Colm Moore]

Note that one of the few parts of the DTA Act currently operating deals with car parking.

http://www.transport.ie/viewitem.asp...ng=ENG&loc=849

[chipper]

I know it is still early days but having paid €16 already I have noted a couple of things that the money has not yet stretched to:

• A brush and shovel to sweep the rubbish out of the car park.
  
• A screwdriver to remove old signage. NCPS have been operating clamping in Drogheda for some time now. The old release fee was €90. This has now increased to €120. The thing is, the old signs are still up so we have Irish Rail signs saying €120 and NCPS signs indicating a bargain €90. It would almost be worth the money to get clamped and see if they could enforce the higher fee.

Something that the money has stretched to:

• A bucket of paint to designate two spaces for staff and not just any spaces, oh no, they have comandeered the best seats in the house right outside the front door. Does anybody know why staff in Drogheda do not have to use the special parking area that is behind a barrier with an access control card? There are about 25 spaces in there that are rarely used.

[zag]

I see they are putting up a ticket machine in the carpark 'annex' in Clontarf Road - the strip of road that goes parallel to the tracks heading towards the city.

This became a kind of de-facto part of the car park when all the works stuff moved out after the sidings were finished a few years back and people realised they could park on the rubble and general rubbish left behind.

The thing is - there is a relatively big kerb to be driven over to get there, the surface is more or less mud in a lot of places and the access road has some totally awful potholes along the way.

I don't suppose the fact they are putting in a ticket machine here will result in improvements to the road surface, access, etc . . . ? Will these spaces not now become subject to whatever regulations exist for parking spaces - minimum width, painted outlines, etc . . . or do any such regulations exist ?

z

[zag]

If anyone has a few years and some legal brain power to spare it could be worth questioning whether IE are running an unlicensed lottery or gambling emporium in their car parks.

If the weekly ticket doesn't guarantee you a space, then are you in fact buying a ticket which entitles you to a chance to win a prize of a space ? Is this not a lottery or raffle requiring licensing ? Alternatively, because you can increase your chances of 'winning' by using your skill and arriving early, then maybe this is betting ?

Either way, it could be argued that they need a license. Now, if you could get a refund for unused/unavailable parking time it might be different, or if you could carry unused parking time over to another week it could be different.
z

[Thomas Ralph]

If that holds up (which I doubt) they'll probably just remove the weekly rate. Problem solved.

[al2637]

Originally Posted by zag

I don't suppose the fact they are putting in a ticket machine here will result in improvements to the road surface, access, etc . . . ? Will these spaces not now become subject to whatever regulations exist for parking spaces - minimum width, painted outlines, etc . . . or do any such regulations exist ?

I'd rather they converted it to a footpath, so many people get off the DART and head towards East Point in the morning, yet they have to walk along the road! Either that or put an entrance to the platform at the city end of the platform.

Also, isn't that road marked as a bus lane anyway?

[Colm Moore]

Originally Posted by zag

Now, if you could get a refund for unused/unavailable parking time it might be different

To give refunds on a systematic basis, they would then need a banking licence to avoid failing foul of money laundering legislation.

[ThomasJ]

Originally Posted by tralph

If that holds up (which I doubt) they'll probably just remove the weekly rate. Problem solved.

Problem not solved!

Roll on the day that people will say for their parking, head up to the station and find out services are suspended or cancelled giving them little choice but to drive. What happens then?

[chipper]

The clamping has started. I saw the first last week and another yesterday. They still have the dual signs showing release fees of €90 and €120.

[Mark]

Signs up in Sutton station. Nothing in Howth so far.

[Mark Gleeson]

IE where dragged in before the Joint Oireachtas committee yesterday. The text should be interesting

[Mark]

Originally Posted by Mark

Signs up in Sutton station. Nothing in Howth so far.

Just an ammend to that. IE dont have a car park in Howth but pay and display is due to come thanks to Fingal.

The clampers were out in force yesterday in Sutton station.

[grainne whale]

A sign appeared this morning saying that Pay Parking is due to start on 6th October at Hazelhatch station, this is ridiculous as the station is unfinished and also the Feeder Bus is too small to cope with extra capacity and can be a bit unreliable.

[hoopsheff]

I havent seen any parking fee machines set up yet in Hazehatch...

I did read that the parking people will be there on monday....but i'd bet it'll be after 8 when they do...not for the first train in the morning!