Rail Users Ireland Forum - Taxsaver parking

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- - Taxsaver parking (http://www.railusers.ie/forum/showthread.php?t=14475)

Taxsaver parking

Has anyone seen details of this?

http://www.argus.ie/news/relief-for-...t-3156264.html

Quote:

Relief for rail commuters as parking charges cut
WEEKLY TICKET SLASHED FROM €10 TO €2
By OLIVIA RYAN
Wednesday June 27 2012

DUNDALK COMMUTERS will see charges at the station car park slashed to just €2 in a welcome move by Iarnrod Eireann.

Iarnrod Eireann has confirmed that the cost of parking at the station will be drastically cut from a costly €10 a week to just €2 for those who hold a tax save annual or monthly ticket. The news is particularly welcome as it comes just months after the company announced a rise in parking fees for those using the pay and display machines.

In December last year, Irish Rail announced they were increasing the cost of parking from €2 a day to €3 a day and from €8 a week to €10 for those using the parking machines at the station. The move was designed to encourage more commuters to use the new Park-by text system.

However, the latest measure is sure to be welcomed by Louth commuters, many of whom already avail of the taxsaver ticket.

The scheme is available to those who commute to work in Dublin from Dundalk, Drogheda, Laytown and Gormanston and involves a yearly charge of €100 or a monthly charge of €8.

A spokesperson for Iarnrod Eireann said the incentive was being offered to attract as many people people as possible to use the rail services.

' The taxsaver ticket is a very attractive option for people who commute, particularly for those travelling long distances from Drogheda and Dundalk it works out at just over €2 per journey for annual ticket holders,' said the spokesperson. 'Now it is even more attractive as this offer means those who have annual and monthly taxsaver tickets will pay just €2 a week for parking.'

The news has been welcomed by Louth Deputy Gerald Nash who described the reduction as 'excellent news' for the many commuters travelling to Dublin on a daily basis.

'I encouraged people last year to participate in Irish Rail's Consultation Plan and I know that many people raised parking costs as an issue,' said Deputy Nash.

' Train fares have gone up across the country but for regular commuters this reduction in parking fees will more than offset that. For those travelling every day, this will amount to an annual saving of €400.'

- OLIVIA RYAN

it raises the question that if you can do that, you should get a discount from an ordinary ticket as well. after all, the official reason on introduction of car parking charges was to reduce congestion and ensure only train passengers were using the facility.

How will they verify that cars are entitled to the longer duration?

I think there would be a strong business case for a substantial discount for people on monthly (and in particular annual) passes as the parking charge has driven away commuters. We are a substantial source of revenue for Irish Rail. They get around €17.50 a day from me for my 4 day per week commute. A lot of day return passengers are paying less than this and they can depend on my custom every day.

Commuters are also a lot cheaper to service as they don't need ticket offices and the ticket checkers don't even need to bother checking tickets. They also generally know where they are going and what times the trains are at so generally are less of a bother than day-trippers.

So charging us 2 euro a day for parking (which they don't even see due to outsourcing) and driving away 10% of this steady income for the sake of a relatively small annual parking contract is rather stupid. I'm not saying it should be free but something like 15 or 20 quid for a monthly pass on presentation of a valid train pass seems reasonable.

Do we know when this might be implemented?

Thanks :)

Hmm, I was sure I had posted this last Wednesday, but I must have forgotten to press 'submit reply'. :(

The offer seems to have expired, but no harm in asking the Taxsaver office. :)

Only became aware of this offer yesterday through this thread but chanced my arm. Big no from taxsaver office, claimed it was well publicised. Have never seen any publicity on Northern Line or on IR website.:mad:

I had the same response. It wasn't advertised anywhere as far as I know - Twitter / Irish Rail / Drogheda train station :mad: