Council & churches push up parking fees

January 2002

Wexford town centre employees who hog car park spaces that could be used by shoppers are to be squeezed out in a new strategy devised by Wexford Borough Council in conjunction with the local Catholic churches.

Rowe Street church car park is to have an hourly parking rate of 80 cent instead of the existing fee of €1.25 per visit (which could be all day long), to discourage workers from parking there long-term. Meanwhile, the Council intends to charge €1 per hour in all its car parks from April 1 next.

The plan follows appeals from the Wexford Chamber of Industry and Commerce for the freeing up of more daytime parking spaces for shoppers and visiting business people.

Describing the situation as ‘chronic’, Chamber President David Sinnott said the shortage of available spaces in the centre of town was losing Wexford business by keeping shoppers and business clients away.

Town Clerk Pat Collins defended the increased charges this week and warned that an even bigger squeeze is on the way, with the early findings of Wexford’s continuing traffic management study indicating the need for a reduction in the number of disc parking spaces on certain streets, to ease traffic congestion.

People who don’t want to pay the heftier hourly parking rates in the urban centre have two options, according to Mr Collins. They can go to Bride Street Church car park, where allday parking will still be available (although at an increased rate of €2), or they can avail of the town’s new Park & Ride service from Ferrybank.