Parking wars in Maynooth.

[John J]

I'm sure P11 personnel are aware of the ongoing issue regarding shortage of parking spaces at Maynooth train station. The car park provides 150 spaces at a rough estimate and is full by 7.15am each morning.
The overflow ends up in a housing estate near to the station - this being the only area with free parking within a reasonable walking distance.

I have been forced to park in that particular estate 6 out of the 9 last days, having attempted to find space in the IE car park to no avail.
After a particularly bad day at work today I arrived back to my car to provide two pages of rather threatening literature under my wiper blade (text reproduced in full below).
This was also placed on several other cars.

This leaves me in quite a quandary.
I live a considerable distance from the train station and work demands force me to drive to Maynooth every day due to IE's failure to provide decent service levels beyond Maynooth.
Niether walking or cycling are particularly feasible.

There doesn't seem to be any work underway to provide extra capacity at Maynooth station.
Are P11 aware of any such work being planned?
What do you suggest I and other commuters do in the meantime?
Will IE be prepared to pay fines I may incur as a result of not being able to park when I wish to use their services, despite paying for an annual ticket?

I cannot afford to rent a parking space as train fares, petrol and tolls already cost me upwards of €100 a week.

I understand the views of the residents of that particular housing estate and have sympathy for them. However can they not also have some understanding for the catch-22 situation that Maynooth commuters are in?

The hugely positive effect that the train station has on rental and sale values is perhaps not fully appreciated - but that's another story.

It's a bit of a joke that on the one hand the authorities are actively encouraging public transport and on the other, the garda siochana, a government body, are persecuting those attempting to use it?

Any thoughts?

PAGE 1
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NO PARKING
PRIVATE ESTATE
Details of Cars fined by gardai recently
02 DL 5177 GARDA PARKING FINE
00 LD 1643 GARDA PARKING FINE
95 KE 3719 GARDA PARKING FINE
96 MH 2486 GARDA PARKING FINE
05 D 727 GARDA PARKING FINE
00 D 18024 GARDA PARKING FINE
98 D 6668 GARDA PARKING FINE
01 TS 2664 GARDA PARKING FINE
Further parking could result in clamping/towing and or garda fine.
YOUR CAR NUMBER HAS BEEN NOTED

PAGE 2
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YOU MAY NOT BE AWARE THAT THE HOUSE DIRECTLY OPPOSITE THIS PARKING SPACE IS A RESIDENTIAL HOME FOR MILDLY HANDI-CAPPED PEOPLE. THIS SPACE IS FREQUENTLY REQUIRED FOR THEIR BUS/AMBULANCE TO BE TURNED. SPACE ALSO REQUIRED FOR STAFF AND DOCTOR.
CARS HAVE BEEN REMOVED BY THE POLICE.
THEY DO HAVE VISITORS AS DO THE REST OF THE RESIDENTS - BUT YOU HAVE LEFT THEM NO SPACE TO PARK. WE HAVE 14/18 CARS IN THIS CUL-DE-SAC OF OUR OWN. PEOPLE ON SHIFT WORK ETC. they come off irregular shifts and find there is nowhere for them to park.
We are not an extension of the railway car park.
YOUR NUMBER HAS BEEN NOTED. PLEASE DO NOT PARK IN THIS PRIVATE ESTATE AGAIN.

NOTE
* There is no signage indicating a residential home in the area - if I were aware of such, I would most certainly not park nearby.

[Mark Gleeson]

The Maynooth car park is boxed in by the canal and local houses making any extension difficult. Its a double edged sword if it was extended (and we are aware of no plans for Maynooth) it would result in the €2/€5 charge

Let us be very clear here, providing ever bigger car parks is unsustainable, its going to be like the Itchy Lot gag out of the Simpsons, vast car park which takes an age to get out of in the evening.

The solution is proper integrated local area transport, people drive to the station since they have no other option. This is all but too common a problem, Rush and Lusk, Newbridge and so on, a well thought out local bus connecting the town, major housing estates, railway station and other local amenities would go a long way to solve the problem and provide many other benefits to the local area in general, its done elsewhere in Europe but not here.

If you park legally you have nothing to fear from the nosey neighbour types, if they have legitimate need for a space they can apply through the local county council for a space to be marked out. If you block access, park as to cause a hazard etc well you have only yourself to blame

[Derek Wheeler]

Hi John

Excuse Marks rather harsh ending to his response. A lot of what he said in terms if integrated local transport is currently the thinking of the RUI committee. I have personally spent many months examining the car parking situation and seeking a national solution rather than individual solution. I assume from your post that you live along the rail line but not in an area that has early morning services to suit you. Therefore you are caught in the middle. Maynooth car park is indeed boxed in by the canal. There are currently plans to develop that area even further in terms of an amenity facility. It looks pretty certain that IE cannot develop better car parking facilities.

I don't know where you live so I cannot say if my local transport solution would work for you. But. If the car drivers from the immediate area that use maynooth carpark were provided with realistic local transport alternatives then obviously the car park is freed up for users from more remote or lightly served areas that can't justify local transport or rail services.

Finally John. Remember this one. I am a great advocate of localised public transport that serves rail stations and housing areas. Transport that helps rail commuters and takes cars off local roads at all times of the day. So far I have met with inertia, excuses and disinterest from local councillors and politicians. However a senior government minister is contemplating the provision of late night bus services to get people home from the pub. Bare that in mind if you write to your local representatives, particularly the FF ones.

[Mark Hennessy]

John as a Maynooth resident, my plan for a car park on part of the Harbour field was taken up by Aine Brady in her manifesto.

Perhaps we should badger her to see how progress is coming.
I really feel there is room there for a multi story facility but of course it would eb pay parking.

There are folks driving from all over North Kildare to access the station.
As an interim measure would Louisa bridge car park be any use to you?

[PaulM]

I was a student in Maynooth no so long ago. I started in 2000 and graduated in 2004. The difference Maynooth underwent in that time is phenomenal. It barely resembles the place it was when I started there.

The reason I mention this is becuase like most places around Dublin these days. Massive planning permission was granted for develpment yet there was nothing done to facilitate people living in the area.

The train line is most likely a major selling point for developers, from what I recall there are approximately 40 (if that) spaces on a very narrow stretch of land. Sadly the only advice I can really give is to write to local politicians. Is it an option to park somewhere further away, shopping centres perhaps?

Originally Posted by Mark Hennessy

my plan for a car park on part of the Harbour field was taken up by Aine Brady in her manifesto.

What about the fair in June? Where are the local kids going to go to get drunk? That's very selfish of you Mark.

[sean]

How about extending the Maynooth line about 5 miles West and building a massive M4 Park n Ride there? That would sort out the problems and likely be cheaper than trying to squeeze more parking spaces into Maynooth.

The OP is from Longford as per the location in his profile. And yes, the Longford service is kinda rubbish IMO and I don't envy anyone who has to use it, certainly I would wonder why so many (enough to justify a train service) actually do that commute ...

[whelanp]

I have this year received in the 3 parking tickets in a row for parking on Leinster Street.

I used to park just outside the car park near the roost on the mucky verge. As a result I was issued 3 tickets for endangering other road users!!.

This is an absolute disgrace. I parked there 3 days in a row on my way to work about three months ago.

For doing so I got three tickets, Two arrived in the post on the same day one the day after (4 days after I had parked there).

Had I been given a chance for the fine to get to me in the post I would of not parked there again!

I spent €120 in one weekend paying parking tickets. I have since advised everyone I see parking there they will be fined. Every day since (and this is more than three months ago) a car has parked in that space. I would like to get stats on the number of parking fines they have issued for this stop alone. I have seen them issuing them without even getting out of the car on occasion. Maybe they could buy a no parking sign with all the money they are making.

I have seen cars parked on the foot path outside the garda station on the footpath facing the castle I wonder if the owner of that car is getting fined. I have a feeling that the answer is no.

[constellation]

Originally Posted by whelanp

I used to park just outside the car park near the roost on the mucky verge. As a result I was issued 3 tickets for endangering other road users!!.

The lane to the canal? On part of that lane (particularly near the corner leading to the Fire Station) there is a double yellow line. Covered in muck and leaves but it is there.

Anyhow, it's a convenient way for the Guards meet their quota as it is just outside their door. And the owner of that car is probably a Guard.

[whelanp]

Originally Posted by constellation

The lane to the canal? On part of that lane (particularly near the corner leading to the Fire Station) there is a double yellow line. Covered in muck and leaves but it is there.

Anyhow, it's a convenient way for the Guards meet their quota as it is just outside their door. And the owner of that car is probably a Guard.

No this is beside the entrance to the pay car park. I parked on the verge to the left as you come out of the car park. Have a look today another car is parked there again.

They really should be made to put a sign up. I'd a put one up for free but they would probably slap a destruction of property charge on me!!! Anyway I won't rant on about the gardai as well they are making money off us so why would they change it. And yes a garda owns the car that parked on the footpath I saw him going into the station.