Killarney first Kerry town to get credit card parking meters

KILLARNEY is set to become the first town in Kerry to provide parking meters with credit card facilities. A preferred tender has been identified for the provision of new parking meters for the town, meters which will have credit card ‘functionality’.

Councillors were told at this month’s Killarney Muncipal District meeting that there will be a 12-week lead-in for the delivery of these machines. It is also hoped that, later in the year, a tender will be put out for an online payment option for parking in the town.

Meanwhile, the Áras Pádraig site is also being examined as a location for a multi-storey car park according to council management who said that a masterplan is being prepared for the key site. The possibility of a multi-storey car park will be examined as part of this plan.

There have long been calls for a multi-storey car park for the town of Killarney to solve parking issues in the town.

Cllr Niall Kelleher said that “inadequate parking” will have serious effects for business in the town if the issues are not addressed.

He and other councillors have also called for “real-time” parking information to be available in the town.

Town Manager Angela McAllen said that parking is a key priority for the town. She said that additional parking has been identified in the Killarney Town Traffic Management Plan.

She added that, as part of the Áras Pádraig masterplan site, a multi-storey car park will be examined and that the Rock Road car park, due to open in May, will provide an extra 190 spaces, which is 10 per cent extra parking for the town.

Killarney Chamber of Commerce and Tourism has also called for a tiered pricing structure in the town to maximise efficiency and to create a greater turnover of spaces.

The Killarney Muncipal District meeting also heard that Kerry Parents and Friends has offered land for parking after work hours, which could be a solution. Management has also been in discussions with St Brendan’s Trust about lands in front of the convent and adjacent to the Cathedral to resolve parking difficulties.

Council management has also stated that there will more enforcement when it comes to parking in the town this year.