Massive shortfall in paid parking in Macroom

MACROOM OPERATED AT A LOSS OF €2,000 COMPARED TO KINSALE, WHICH HAD €200K PROFIT

PAID parking for Macroom town left councillors scratching their heads as it operated at a loss of €2,000 compared to Kinsale which had over €200,000 in profit.

At the Blarney/Macroom municipal district meeting, it was unanimously agreed by all councillors that it was very difficult to get parking in the square in the town as it was always full.

Cllr Ted Lucey said that paid parking in the town six to seven years ago netted about €110,000 but now it’s only about €55,000.

“It’s the same area and nothing has really changed with the town in that time. We all want the town to survive but we should be bringing in more money and questions need to be asked,” he said.

Cllr Des O’Grady (SF) said a traffic warden was a big cost factor. Chairing the meeting, Cllr Michael Creed (FG) said that certain proportions of the business community in Macroom feel they are being discriminated against as there is paid parking by their businesses but yet there is free parking at Dunnes and Lidl.

“Some business people do feel that paid parking is anti town centre and they are being penalised,” he said.

Cllr Lucey said it frequently occurs that you end up driving around the square looking for a free car parking space. “The volume of car parking is clearly evident but yet the revenue is not. This is just not adding up,” he said.

Cllr Bob Ryan (FF) asked about the possibility of a feasibility study being done on this issue. Cllr Des O’Grady (SF) wondered if it was possible to have figures on tickets taken out of the machines over the last number of years.

With regards to the first 30 minutes of free parking, Director of Services, Maurice Manning acknowledged that this is a difficulty for a traffic warden to monitor and not easy to enforce.

“The entire purpose of paid parking is to encourage the movement of cars and from my own experience there is rarely a space in the square,” he said.