[ThomasJ]

From the Herald over the weekend

Rail users to pay €500 per year to park
By Kevin Doyle

Saturday August 23 2008

THE controversial decision by CIE to introduce parking charges at train stations has passed the point of no return.

Despite widespread criticism of the company's decision to force thousands of commuters to fork out up to €500 a year for parking, CIE has gone ahead with plans to purchase pay-and-display meters.

awarded

The company has issued notice that a contract for the "supply of pay-and-display machines for railway station car parks" has been awarded.

A spokesperson for CIE declined to reveal how much the contract is worth but according to the contract notice, they chose the "most economically advantageous tender". Five companies entered a bidding war for the lucrative contract,

It was eventually awarded to Elector Automotion Ltd from Mulhuddart.

The spokesperson has also confirmed to the Herald that the first stations to be hit will be along the northern line from Portmarnock to Dundalk on September 1.

The "park-and-ride" charges at dozens of other railway stations will be phased in between then and late October or early November.

Anyone caught flouting the charges will be liable for fines or clamping.

Approximately 150,000 people use commuter lines in and out of Dublin each day, with just under 5pc of these using station car parks, according to CIE.

CIE has already signed the contract with a Dublin-based company, Nationwide Contr- olled Parking Systems (NCPS).

That contract will run until November 2011.

CIE will receive a €1m-a-year slice of the revenue generated from the parking fees, but has refused to say -- for commercial reasons -- what the contract is worth to NCPS.

CAPITAL

Commuters to the capital from as far away as Longford and Gorey will be hit with the charges, where previously they could park for free.

It will cost €2 a day or a weekly parking ticket will be available for €8.

CIE has rejected suggestions that the charges will discourage commuters from using public transport.

http://www.herald.ie/national-news/r...k-1461935.html