[ThomasJ]

And todays [fri 18-7-2008] Independent has more on it

More rail stations will impose parking charges
New rail parking charges to cost commuters €500 a year
By Shane Phelan


Friday July 18 2008

EVEN more rail stations across Ireland will be targeted in the pay-for-parking blitz.

CIE is set to expand its controversial railway station pay parking regime even further than was first revealed in yesterday's Irish Independent.

The semi-state company initially confirmed plans to charge for parking at 37 commuter stations serving the greater Dublin area.

However, the Irish Independent has learned that plans exist to extend pay parking even further in the coming years.

The plans include introducing parking charges at new stations being built, including Dunboyne and Clondalkin Fonthill, as well as at the new M3 park and ride on the Dunboyne line.

News of the second raft of stations to be hit with parking charges comes just a day after the Irish Independent exclusively revealed how thousands of commuters will have to fork out up to €500 a year more just to get to work because of the introduction of parking fees at the 37 commuter stations.

The charges are being introduced from September.

The stations being initially targeted are on the Northern, DART, Heuston, Maynooth/ Longford and Wicklow/Gorey lines.

The revelation sparked uproar yesterday with some commuters threatening a campaign of civil disobedience in protest at the charges.

The Irish Independent has learned that the contract signed by CIE with clamping company Nationwide Controlled Parking Systems also provides for further roll out of "pay and display".

The contract will also include pay parking at new car park facilities being planned at existing stations and at new stations," admitted CIE spokesman Barry Kenny. "We will also examine the possibility of car park charges at some intercity stations where charging currently does not apply."

The new regime will see commuters charged €2-a-day or €8-a-week to park.

Stations where pay parking already exists with a weekly charge of €5 will also see that fee increase to €8.

Opposition politicians and commuters reacted with fury to the new charges.

Fine Gael labour affairs spokesman Damien English described the charges as "a stealth tax that will hurt commuter town families who have no choice but to pay the fees to get to work."

Mr English called on Transport Minister Noel Dempsey to order CIE to drop the charges.

http://www.independent.ie/national-n...s-1435088.html