[Article] Pay and Display on the way

[plant43]

Originally Posted by Mark Gleeson

Might is the opportune word

So if the goal is to free up space, why charge in Monastervin where the car park is less than half full all the time? Is it that they are greedy?

In that case, yes they are greedy. I only support charging in high demand areas.

[ThomasJ]

Originally Posted by plant43

It's my understanding that wheelchair spaces at stations will remain free of charge to badge holder and with the expansion of the car parks there should in theory be more of these spaces?

One benefit that might possibly come from these charges is less people using the car parks so there might be spaces at all times of the day, rather than up to 7am, which means people who might need to use them such as the above might get a space at any tiime.

Thats some good news in terms of badge holders.

My point is, look at Hazelhatch station, for the 9-5ers who drive and indeed anyone else who drive they are catered for with a large car park. For the 9-5ers who dont drive you have a feeder bus service.

For everyone else, at all other times its either fork out on a taxi fare or its a long walk from Celbridge village along what is not the greatest of pathways/roadways.

Might explain why numbers are low from this station during the day and at weekends.

By the way, a feeder bus service is not always needed, if Bus companies can integrate stations into the routings of their core services?

[Mark Gleeson]

Originally Posted by plant43

In that case, yes they are greedy. I only support charging in high demand areas.

New car park in Hazelhatch isn't full either, nor is the one in Gormanston. Never failed to get a space in Thurles or Templemore either (both on the phase 2 list of this). I'd challenge anyone to walk the unlit road with no pavement to Templemore station on a dark wet day just isn't safe.

End of the day the real solution here is to charge a painful rate for non rail users at all railway car parks and see how much space that clears up, that would be interesting

[ThomasJ]

What i am wondering about in particular with an insufficient car park like coolmine station is what happens if you have a weekly car park ticket but there are no spaces left? Does that give you licence to park along the curb etc?

Are you entitled to a refund?

[Mark Gleeson]

Of course not its just like the train, if you can't get on thats not their problem.

[ThomasJ]

Yes but its not like being able to get on the next train that car park would be full for most of the day.

By the way will you be able to use any of the irish rail car parks with this ticket if you get it from a certain station?

[ThomasJ]

Originally Posted by ThomasJ

Yes but its not like being able to get on the next train that car park would be full for most of the day.

By the way will you be able to use any of the irish rail car parks with this ticket if you get it from a certain station?

Mark do you know if the terms and conditions/bye laws for the new pay car parking is out yet?

Would be an interesting read.

[AndrewMc]

Originally Posted by ThomasJ

From the Herald over the weekend

As I said before, this is simply untrue. The parking charges push the prices of rail travel within spitting distance of driving for my wife and I travelling together. And door-to-door, the car is much faster.

[ThomasJ]

Originally Posted by AndrewMc

As I said before, this is simply untrue. The parking charges push the prices of rail travel within spitting distance of driving for my wife and I travelling together. And door-to-door, the car is much faster.

Agreed.

While this may not impact much on areas such as the DART line and Maynooth line where time is more a factor (where driving to work via the n3 and n4 is bad, watch out for next week! look at times from clonsilla to city bus v train) It seems to me that IE are taking advantage of this factor.

However the Gorey line in particular has it bad enough at the moment without futher dragging people back into the cars, the bypass is an incentive for them to do that!

[Mark]

Its a delicate balancing act to try and encourage people to travel to the station by walking, cycling, lift or bus (where available - a whole other story) while also not discouraging passengers from opting to drive altogether.

I agree with IE charging for car parking but I think they have got their priorities wrong and also the price and price structure is not in keeping with my above statement.

In a lot of cases of commuting by car in Dublin either the origin of the journey or the final destination are adequately served by public transport but not both. Then the issue of integration raises its ugly head.

Even after the rail catchment areas are expanded a whole mindset change will also need to happen before we leave our cars at home. Charging for parking in the stations, no matter how well structured, will not be enough.

[Mark Hennessy]

Outside of the suburban areas folks are paying a lot of money for a monthly ticket (in some cases up to €200 per month), now they are being charged at least another €32 per month for the same service.

Its not just just a case of people within towns not walking or cycling to the train but also the estates that were allowed spring up in small villages miles away from train stations where there was never any public transport in place. Yet this was all allowed go ahead by the local authorities and the govt.

Now all of these people are being hit with a choice, stump up the extra cash for CIE property development or as AndrewMc pointed out, go back to the car.

Some choice.

[chipper]

Signs are now up in stations along the Northern Line to tell us that car parking charges will be in force from Monday September 1. It does not mention the clamping fee but I am pretty sure I remember Barry Kenny saying it is a punishing €160 or €180.

I can only speak about my own experience in Drogheda but I can't see this putting people off the train. Even if you get free parking in Dublin the petrol alone would cost more than the combined tax saver fare and train station parking. I can only hope that this will put off those who can walk to the station. I know a few who are now going to leave the car at home and if there are enough of them it might leave a few spaces every morning. My biggest gripe about getting the train is the necessity to leave early to get parking so maybe this will give me the option of an extra hour in bed.

[Colm Moore]

Originally Posted by AndrewMc

As I said before, this is simply untrue. The parking charges push the prices of rail travel within spitting distance of driving for my wife and I travelling together. And door-to-door, the car is much faster.

But you live within cycling distance of the station. And what of parking charges at the city end?

I think the challenge is to force IÉ to provide the extra facilities.

[chipper]

Somebody made a lovely little blunder on the signs in Drogheda station. NCPS have put up nice big posters and Irish Rail decided to add their own bit with a few A4 size passenger notices printed off a computer. They begin by reminding us to pay for our parking on Monday morning and sign off with "Iarnród Éireann would like to apologise for any inconvenience caused".

Over zealous cut-and-paste or a classic Freudian slip?

[RadarControl]

Is Pay-Parking coming to all stations from Monday or is it just Drogheda? No signs or Pay Machines have appeared in Kildare in relation to it yet.

[Mark Gleeson]

Northern line only on Monday from what we have heard

Will be making a trip to photograph most of the car parks in an effort to record the current state for the before and after

[coffeedrinker]

Originally Posted by chipper

I can only hope that this will put off those who can walk to the station. I know a few who are now going to leave the car at home and if there are enough of them it might leave a few spaces every morning. My biggest gripe about getting the train is the necessity to leave early to get parking so maybe this will give me the option of an extra hour in bed.

Everywhere is within walking distance of a train station (it might take hours to walk there) but what one person's walking distance is, is different than anothers. I live 'within walking distance' of the station - yet I drive - I normally have something to do after work and don't head straight home - should I not use the car park at the station even if I;m willing to pay for it. - I pay my taxes just like everyone else!!

[Trampas]

I live 10 miles away from my station.

A bit far for me to walk.

Maynooth car park is full of holes. I would be surprised to see it been resurfaced.

I'll just have to park on the Staffen road outside as no yellow lines

[Laois Commuter]

Originally Posted by Trampas

I live 10 miles away from my station.

A bit far for me to walk.

Maynooth car park is full of holes. I would be surprised to see it been resurfaced.

I'll just have to park on the Staffen road outside as no yellow lines

So you choose to live 10 miles from the station. Why should you be subsidised by those who live closer? When looking for my current home, walking distance to the station was one of the criteria I used.

There has been little cash for maintenance I suspect (repairs come under maintenance, not capital works). This is an attempt to address it - but the revenue stream is needed first.

Car use has a cost, and why such users feel that they should not have to pay is beyond me. I would love to see the irate responses if UK levels of station parking charges were implemented - see my earlier post.

LC

[Trampas]

Originally Posted by Laois Commuter

So you choose to live 10 miles from the station. Why should you be subsidised by those who live closer? When looking for my current home, walking distance to the station was one of the criteria I used.

There has been little cash for maintenance I suspect (repairs come under maintenance, not capital works). This is an attempt to address it - but the revenue stream is needed first.

Car use has a cost, and why such users feel that they should not have to pay is beyond me. I would love to see the irate responses if UK levels of station parking charges were implemented - see my earlier post.

LC

I would love to get the Bus Eireann bus to work but that doesn't go near where I work cause all it goes to Busaras and leaves from there.

What do you mean by why should I be subsidised?

The car park in Maynooth has been there for years. They are not buying any extra land. As been said before all this is pay parking is extra money for IR.