Scrapping parking machines across Galway city is a policy being worked on by senior city council officials.
It is understood removing parking meters would save the local authority around €125,000 each year, based on €100,000 annual maintenance contracts, and €25,000 per annum cash handling fees.
Last year, Galway City Council reported parking revenues of €2.8m, plus €1m in parking fines. Income is down around €65,000 so far this year, due to a parking grace period in January, and Storm Éowyn.
With more than 50 of the city’s 90 parking meters not working properly at certain times over the busy summer months, and the local authority mired in legal issues with private firms linked to the machines, a consensus is building to rip out the meters, which have been part of drivers’ lives here since the late 1980s.
Both council staff and elected councillors have expressed fatigue at the number of complaints, appeals and representations they fielded over the summer regarding the city’s pay and display cash-taking machines.
Meanwhile, use of the Galway city parking app, registering parking over the phone, or buying parking tickets in Payzone retail shops, is understood to be growing in popularity, as these methods mean drivers need not return to their car to display a ticket – vehicle registration numbers are stored on the wardens’ database instead.
The Galway Advertiser has learned senior managers are accelerating their preparation of policy proposals for councillors to consider in the coming weeks, after suggestions were raised in the September meeting of the full city council this week to dispose of meters entirely. A legal review of parking byelaws is already underway.
“If sixty per cent of them aren’t working properly, then let’s bite the bullet, and fling them out,” said Councillor Peter Keane (FF ). “I know that might cause discomfort to some people, but so be it. Let’s be leaders, and go cashless,” he urged.
Director of Operational Development, Patrick Greene, told councillors that some local authorities – such as Cork City Council, and many English councils – had never installed parking meters, and moving to remote payments was the logical next step. He said teething issues with the parking app were caused by the council rushing its roll-out in December.
Dublin-based UTS Parking, which has operated parking meters in Galway city since 2018, has been in a legal dispute with Galway City Council since last year, and is currently involved in judicial review proceedings against it.
“We were forced to progress the app faster than we wanted,” said Greene, who added that new covers should appear on meters from next week better explaining alternative payment options.
“Using an app is not for everyone,” warned Councillor Terry O’Flaherty (Ind ). “We are duty bound to continue with cash,” she said.
Councillor Níall McNelis (Lab ) said signage and branding needs to be better displayed informing people – especially visitors – about their parking payment options, while Councillor Shane Forde (FG ) gave examples of the current system’s dysfunction.
“I know of one US couple who left their car in the city for three days, and it wasn’t touched [by a warden],” he said.
Councillors Eibhlín Seoighthe (Ind ) and Eddie Hoare (FG ) asked questions about the council’s legal responsibilities and powers relating to parking.
Officials said there was currently no contract in place to operate its 90 parking meters.
