Pay parking coming to Bride St. Church

August 1998

Church authorities at Bride Street in Wexford have decided to introduce a pay-to-park scheme in the chapel yard.

Proposals by the parish finance committee to introduce the new charges have been accepted by parish administrator, Fr Jim Fegan, and the new system will spring into action in January 1999.

The news is likely to irk motorists in the town as the church yard is the last remaining free car park near the centre of town. However, the church authorities feel they have to introduce the scheme to raise much-needed finances to pay for the upkeep of the church.

Their sister church in Rowe Street successfully introduced a similar system some years ago, with a mix of corporate and daily commercial parking. At present, people can use Rowe Street car park for a fee of 70p.

When the new system is introduced in Bride Street, motorists will expected to pay £1 to use the facility, whether they stay for just half an hour or all day long. The system will be exactly the same as Rowe Street, with the provision of barriers and pay-as-you-leave slots.

The entire car park will need to be resurfaced first to bring it up to the necessary standard. This and other associated works that are needed before bringing in pay parking will cost in the region of £50,000.

Meanwhile, Wexford Corporation may now come under increased pressure to provide other free parking spaces instead.

In the past, they have paid the church £1,630 each year for the use of the grounds there as a free car park facility. However, the church authorities believe they will be able to generate a massive £20,000 per year instead after the pay parking scheme is introduced.