Common sense is needed when pay parking returns

There should be a ‘grace period’ of 15 minutes beyond the hour parked to allow people re-adjust to pay parking system

ALL going to plan, pay parking will return to Drogheda on Wednesday July 18.

It looks as if it will be €1.20 an hour still and as for any changes in circumstances in terms of estates near the hospital, etc, we wait and see if something will be done.

The Windmill Road has suffered enormously in recent years with residents unable to park outside their homes.

Will the new bye-laws make provision for some kind of restrictions on the street to help residents . I don’t know.

There have been plus factors and negative impacts in the past four months while the pay parking debacle unfolded.

All day parking in some central areas left it tough for residents and traders by times.

For workers and indeed shoppers who could get parked, it was a welcome relief not to have to fork out €1.20 an hour.

Now the big issue is how the reintroduction of the parking charges will be handled.

The reason why the byelaws issue came up was down to how they were being implemented.

Yes, if someone parks illegally in a yellow box, if they put 20c into a machine and expect to park for the day, if they double park for 10 minutes on a busy street - whatever the obvious offence may be - they deserve to get a fine.

But what about the person who puts €2.00 into a machine, goes off shopping and heads for a cup of tea and comes back 10 minutes after their ticket is up. Do they merit a €40 fine?

Of course, the very obvious flaw in the council’s pay parking system is that you don’t get a ‘stub’ from the ticket, so you have to remember what time you are due back at your vehicle at. Forget and you are done for.

I believe that a ‘grace period’ of 15 minutes beyond the hour parked would be fair, especially as people get used to paying again.

The reintroduction of pay parking should not see the streets return to a ‘ them and us’ scenario that caused this whole mess in the first place.

This little chap is really the guardian of Magdalene’s Tower. He’s a friendly face every time I pass by and looks very comfortable in the role here.

AN excellent point raised at the recent area meeting of the Laytown/Bettystown area council. Concerns were raised by councillors that young people are jumping off the bridge into the Nanny at Laytown and there are real fears of a tragedy, Cllr Tom...

Hubert Murphy’s look at life by the Boyneside and surrounds hmurphy@drogheda-independent.ie | 041 9876820 THEDIARY