Pay Parking from 2008

Riamfada

Reported in todays Observer that UCD is introducing pay parking across the board from 2008. This is an utter disgrace on behalf of Dun Laogihaire/Rathdown and the college with an estimated 5% of parking to be free up. Five Percent! Students CANNOT afford to park on campus and I for one will be clogging up the roads around Clonskeagh . Id rather compete for a parking space than have to pay 50 cent an hour, as im here usually 9am-9pm.

Disgrace!

Royale with Cheese

Thank god I'm getting out of this place in a month's time.

Sangre

Grimes wrote:

Reported in todays Observer that UCD is introducing pay parking across the board from 2008. This is an utter disgrace on behalf of Dun Laogihaire/Rathdown and the college with an estimated 5% of parking to be free up. Five Percent! Students CANNOT afford to park on campus and I for one will be clogging up the roads around Clonskeagh . Id rather compete for a parking space than have to pay 50 cent an hour, as im here usually 9am-9pm.

Disgrace!

Who would have thought having a car would be expensive?

Red Alert

This is complete and utter fleecing of everybody. I couldn't do the sort of days i do sometimes unless i can bring the car in and leave it here for the day. UCD need to back down on this.

They should enforce a staff/student's only rule with automatic barriers but keep the carparks free (as they used to in fact years ago - you can still see some of the old equipment lying around a few carparks).

Riamfada

Sangre wrote:

Who would have thought having a car would be expensive?

Yeah a car is expensive. So expensive infact that I cant afford to socialise in the bar cause one persons booze money is my petrol money to get home.


The college is generating a money making scheme and forcing people who worked hard to get a car to take the 3 hour (in my case) public transport option. I simply refuse to accept this discrimination when a barrier system for students and staff would be just as effective.

cold_filter

I agree with that, i graduated last year but tbh sometimes if im going into town ill park in UCD and get the bus in, this is usually in the afternoon though.

From my student days i do remember quite a few people going from their cars straight to the bus stop and they werent students or lecturers

Blut

I approve this 100%, hopefully itll encourage more people to leave the car at home and get rid of some of the congestion in UCD. Plus keep "park and ride" people out. Fingers crossed theyll use the additional revenue to build another carpark or two too (but eh thats probably fairly unlikely). Plus blahblah good for the enviroment and all that.

Riamfada

cold_filter wrote:

From my student days i do remember quite a few people going from their cars straight to the bus stop and they werent students or lecturers

According to the college this number is "relatively small". Is it 5% small?


1) Does anyone think UCD gives a toss about the greater enviromental benifits ?
2) Does the college think that people are going to give up a small drive to take public transport?
3) What about students who live outside Dublin but cant afford the generous accomodation prices and are forced to take their cars?

End of story I pay 4500 a year to come to UCD. Im not paying extra for the privilage of parking a car here. If this dosnt get over ruled you can be damn sure that students will be clogging up housing estates in the surrounding areas




Will Hugh have to pay?

Riamfada

Blut wrote:

hopefully itll encourage more people to leave the car at home and get rid of some of the congestion in UCD

I wont be told by people who DRIVE to work to leave my car at home to "ease congestion" / line the college coffers.


Calcualating it at.50c per hour and the amounf of time i spend here during the college term thats

1224 Euro

now by the ammount they predict to park daily thats

3,427,200 per year

Simply screwing the students and staff over to make a wad of cash

bazman

Simple answer - cycle or use public transport

passive

Simple answer - cycle or use public transport

*stab*

unless you're being facetious... in which case, here's a bandage.

Jonny Arson

Great to see another money making scam by Hugo's UCDD Corporation inc. :rolleyes:

No one can dispute that there needs to be barriers on the car parking on campus and no one can dispute against an annual flat fee of maybe something like €100 for staff and students... but 50c a f**king hour will truly rape people like Grimes who have to hang around the campus for up to 12 hours per day for months on end

It's all about making money this.

The next person to argue ''they're doing it for the environment'' needs a slap.

UCD has failed to make the campus a green friendly campus i.e f**k all recycling facilities

UCD has failed to provide secure bike parking facilities on campus - loads of bikes stolen all the time

UCD has failed to stop the free open car parks there to be used and abused by people parking and then catching the bus to the airport for two weeks

UCD has failed to implement an effective public transport service with Dublin Bus in and out of campus
i.e. the infamous no.17 bus, the no.18 bus that doesn't work to it's timetable, no.3 that didn't stop at it's own terminus stop last week, the half empty no.10 bus that failed to stop at the Stillorgan carriage way stop last week when there was about 30 people signalling for it stop etc. etc. etc. Public transport accessability is sh!t in UCD.... it is painful using it and also the campus cannot be directly accessed by public transport from so many areas around Dublin resulting is people like Grimes having no other choice to drive to UCD unless they want to spend 3 one hour sessions on rotten buses that move at 2mph

DirkVoodoo

Blut wrote:

I approve this 100%, hopefully itll encourage more people to leave the car at home and get rid of some of the congestion in UCD. Plus keep "park and ride" people out..

Put it this way, if you work a cushy job in town and have your company car, paying say 10 or 20 euro a day isn't going to cause you too many sleepless nights. Same if you are popping into town to do some shopping. On the other hand, few students would be able to afford this. So any scheme of the sort would more than likely force students, bar the wealthier ones, off campus and keep the majority of "park and ride" culprits.

Secondly, not everyone lives near an accessible bus route or likes cycling. I myself live about a 25 min brisk walk from the 46A, not something i like doing on the return leg. I drove throughout my 4 years in college as I was fortunate enough to have a car given to me (yup, spoilt!) and so it was drive or bus, easy choice there! This year I now cycle to college most days, but being a fair-weather cyclist, I take the car if its really bad. Should I be punished for this? Should the college not be punishing people who have no business in UCD in the first place rather than marginalising students who do drive for reasons beyond the stupid simplification of "bus or cycle"? This is once again failure to tackle the greater issue and simply pocket some extra change for whoever may benefit. I have seen much of the suited business people parking nice flashy cars here then strolling to the bus, but it is not easy to generalise when we are dealing with a broad spectrum of men and women who are simply "not in UCD".

If people from outside wanted to use the library and left students without space/books during study time, do we simply charge everyone money to use the library hoping this will curb the excess? No, we have a very simple yet effective system that discriminates against non-UCDians: Identity cards. Sure it may cost more to implelement such a system. I for one would be willing to pay a small levy each year to fund such a scheme, which would suit far better than an hourly charging system.

BKtje

I'm not a driver but i gotta agree with people that it will force students out of the car parks and the park and riders will stay purely cos it would still be cheaper/easier than finding parking in dublin.

the infamous no.17 bus -snip- there was about 30 people signalling for it stop etc. etc. etc

I'm sorry but that's hardly UCD's fault, get onto Dublin Bus. Sure UCD could attempt to get better service etc but imo this is something students should complain about themselves. The more complaints the better.

themole

DirkVoodoo wrote:

If people from outside wanted to use the library and left students without space/books during study time, do we simply charge everyone money to use the library hoping this will curb the excess? No, we have a very simple yet effective system that discriminates against non-UCDians: Identity cards.

Afaik, non ucdians can get access to he library by buying a pass. At least thats what a friend of mine was told by the guy there.

I don't agree with charging everyone to park. They should firstly implement ucd staff and student only carparks, while still having one or two carparks for non ucd people to pay to park. There are often people who need to visit.

If that doesn't work to free up places then they should think of chraging for a yearly pass to some of the carparks, as mentioned before.

Jonny Arson

B-K-DzR wrote:

I'm sorry but that's hardly UCD's fault, get onto Dublin Bus. Sure UCD could attempt to get better service etc but imo this is something students should complain about themselves. The more complaints the better.

UCD do have a responsibility to ensure that there is an efficient Bus service facilitating the college. Of course it is Dublin Bus' problem if their drivers are acting like tools be it not stopping or just not showing up etc. but at the end of the day UCD cannot justify charging staff and students to park by the hour when the public transport service into the college is inefficient and not an option for a great number of staff and students. Going by the quick timescale of when this new parking system is to be introduced it is quite clear UCD are not going to make any attempts in conjunction with Dublin Bus to ensure a greater quantity and quality of bus services for Belfield.

DirkVoodoo

themole wrote:

Afaik, non ucdians can get access to he library by buying a pass. At least thats what a friend of mine was told by the guy there.

Yes, I'm aware of this, it was simply a poor analogy on my part meant to highlight a "what-if" scenario with regards to the library being run the way the car park is run.

besty

I didn't read the article but is there no way that this will just be a sticker system which will cost a flat rate at the start of the year or something? I think this used to be in operation too for around €300 or something! I feel that would be a fairer way of doing an open season pay every day scheme. Ideally, there should be systems in check to stop park and riding from non-students. The sticker system could also help this.

Notorious

bazman wrote:

Simple answer - cycle or use public transport

And what if you live too far away to cycle, and you must get two buses to get home (the first of which is an 84, which is not very regular at all)???

Introducing pay parking, which in turn will only free up an estimated 5% of spaces is ridiculous! Surely only freeing up that amount of space will still leave drivers battling it out for a parking spot?

Seems like another money making scheme, but at least it'll keep the UCD clampers on their toes!

cast_iron

Notorious wrote:

And what if you live too far away to cycle, and you must get two buses to get home (the first of which is an 84, which is not very regular at all)???

Whilst I'm not exactly for these charges, for the situation above, tough luck.
The fact that some people happen to live far away from college shouldn't mean no parking charges/car restrictions should be allowed.

cast_iron

cast_iron wrote:

Whilst I'm not exactly for these charges, for the situation above, tough luck.
The fact that some people happen to live far away from college shouldn't mean no parking charges/car restrictions should be allowed.

Indeed, thats what on campus residence is for

pigeonbutler

This is obviously bad news for a lot of people but I have to say I understand where the college are coming from. Firstly they had to do something to try relieve the car parking situation, and were being told that building more spaces on green fields was a no-no. Therefore the only option was to try find some way of reducing the demand.

Here's a few options they could have taken to resolve the situation and why they didn't:

1. Restrict parking to students and staff only and have it free. Firstly from research into the supposed multitude of park-and-riders they discovered that there would still be major shortages if they did this. And what about temporary lecturers? guests? parents of people being conferred? the list goes on.

Oh and of course Hugh doesn't pay. The statutes of the University FORCE him to live on the campus. It comes with the rules of the job.

2. Offer students and staff an annual pass for a set fee. They didn't do this as people would try to get their moneys worth once they'd bought a pass. They would have no incentive to hop on the 10 even if it was just coming up to their door as they left the house, or to cycle once weather got nice.
Also it wouldn't reduce demand. Pretty much everyone would buy the pass and the hassle would continue. How pissed off would you be if you'd bought a parking pass and still had to spend an hour looking for a space?

3. Build more spaces - Refused Permission by the county council

This is going to hurt people but we have to understand who it's aimed at. It's aimed at the people who live in Donnybrook, Baggot St, Stillorgan, Dun Laoghaire and such places that are on the 10 or 46a routes but who still insist on driving their 07-D Mini Coopers (complete with L plates) into college every day. It's also aimed at the people living in Kilmacud, Clonskeagh, Windy Arbour, Mount Merrion and those other places that are less than 30 mins walk that insist they HAVE to drive to college every day, or people who live in same estate and are in same class but don't car pool. Making them pay much more than the bus fare each day is the only way to make them think.

But yes it will hurt people who live away from feasible public transport options, and they have my sympathies but pigovian taxes (which this could be considered to be) always have winners and losers. To those who say a 5% reduction isn't worth paying for, well would you prefer outrageously high charges and a 50% reduction in demand? The university are trying to tread a line between a charge that won't overly penalise the people that really have to drive with a charge that's high enough to make lots of people reconsider the neccesity of driving.

An afterthought. This is only defensible if there's a provision for free parking for campus residents. It really would be outrageous to have to pay to park on res. I live on res but only have a car with me on very rare occassions but even so could not countenance people being charged to park outside where they live.

Dave!

Great, just when I get a driving licence!!! C*cks!!!

I shall be parking somewhere free on my return.......

Riamfada

The point remains that your businessman on his way to Donnybrook wont be hampered by a small fee and will continue to park there however students who are short of cash are forced to continue to drive but park off campus

Font22

its unfair to charge for parking when its a college campus and the car park is supposed to be there for the use of people attending college or working there. i'll be leaving UCD in two weeks but i hope for the sake of my sister that its sorted out properly.is it really that difficult to stick up a couple of barriers. if i didnt have other plans with my life i'd be happy to police the carparks and kick out snotty commuters who park their cars in UCD and then saunter off to the bus stop.

Stepherunie

themole wrote:

Afaik, non ucdians can get access to he library by buying a pass. At least thats what a friend of mine was told by the guy there.

Ok I know this is off topic but just to point out that whilst you can buy a pass to use the library in UCD as a non student, you're actually prohibited from using it in the month prior to exams and exam time. I.e. students get priority.

As the Library is very heavily used by UCD students prior to and during the main examination period, we regret that access to the Library is unavailable to UCD alumni between March and May.

Taken from http://www.ucd.ie/library/about/admission_to_the_library/index.html#nonucd

Sabbats have been saying in there manifestos since I started in UCD that they'll make parking in UCD for staff and students only - not one iota has actually been done about this.

And where did the SU campaign on parking disappear too???

DirkVoodoo

PigeonButler, a student/staff system WOULD ease congestion, as the case being made here is that a percentage of cars in UCD are simply availing of the free parking next to key public transport links.

Also, the point made abut guest lecturers, conferrings etc. For a start, they generally close off enough car parking space in O Reilly for conferring. Gues lecturers could also avail of a kind of guest pass perhaps. In such cases, I don;t see the relevance. Such incidents will occur maybe once or twice a year (to the person involved, not in overall frequency). So parking across the bridge or using pay and display is not as much as an incnvenience to people who are on campus 5-days a week for over 8 hrs a day.

I dont see how there should be any other winners and losers in this case, except students/staff winning and freeloaders losing.

Red Alert

If they had automatic barriers you could have a setup where a lecturer can give a guest a barcode via the SIS or Connect to be scanned at the entrance barrier.

If they went back to having automatic barriers and passes it would wipe out the park and ride crowd.

cast_iron

I think the barrier idea would be the best solution.
Student/staff cards could be used for access. Temporary passes could be issued at the main gate for those with valid reasons.

Sangre

Well, if they're going to fleece somebody at least its the poshos with the cars.

A barrier system wouldn't work. It would cause tailbacks onto main roads and the dual carriageway during peak hours.

Riamfada

Sangre wrote:

Well, if they're going to fleece somebody at least its the poshos with the cars.

A barrier system wouldn't work. It would cause tailbacks onto main roads and the dual carriageway during peak hours.

Ah Sangre, get a job like the rest of us and perhaps that green shade of envy might fade.


Barries at the enterances to the carparks wouldnt cause any tailbacks , unless everyone came to college at exactly the same moment

tywy

I reckon there might be more car parking spaces if they resurfaced those crap car parks and marked out designated spaces, you know the one near quinn and the one at the water tower.

I also think that they should make it easier for people to cycle on campus. No cyclist going to Eng is gonna use the road that goes around the back. Everyone cycles through the mall, so mark out a deisgnated cycle lane ffs! Also make it safe for people to lock their bikes. Have cages that require a swipe card to open them or something.

This fee doesn't really affect me as I drive in about once every 2 or 3 weeks depending on when I get the car and need it. Otherwise I cycle.

Riamfada

Speaking of which , a bikestand & attached bikes were thrown into the lake over the weekend.

Sangre

Grimes wrote:

Ah Sangre, get a job like the rest of us and perhaps that green shade of envy might fade.


Barries at the enterances to the carparks wouldnt cause any tailbacks , unless everyone came to college at exactly the same moment

Last time I checked I had a job....

Anyway, a large number of cards enter UCD from 8.30-9.30 (including staff and students). Considering how close the entrances are to main roads and a dual carraigeway, of course this would cause tailbacks on them. Even a tailback of 6/7 cars would cause a blockage.

However a parsking disc system would be utterly sensible.

beanyb

It couldnt be that difficult just provide students and staff with stickers for their cars so that they can park for free or for a lowish set rate.

Then everyone else that doesnt fit into those categories could pay regular pay and display rates so it wouldnt encourage people to park in UCD and then head into town on the bus because they'd be paying the same rates as they would be in town.

I had to park off campus today because I didnt come in until midday.

cast_iron

Sangre wrote:

Even a tailback of 6/7 cars would cause a blockage.

It would, but if the barriers were at the entrance to each car park as opposed to at the main gates, this wouldn't be such an issue. Much easier to police illegal parking.

Sangre wrote:

However a parking disc system would be utterly sensible.

Slightly more open to abuse, and more expensive to run as clampers would be needed to monitor all disks, but certainly workable.

James_sb

If you think economics on this, it's a charge that will hit lower income people (relative - I'm so low I couldn't imagine having a car in the first place) first. Hense students are the first people to loose out. A charge will not be a deterrant for people using UCD as a stop and go (which we have no offical figures on! Just shows how badly managed a resource it is!) if they get it cheaper and more reliable than town.

This is clearly money making. But also a deterrant on students using the parking. The people who take up the spaces for most of the day.



If any of ye care enough, the student union have dealt with this issue a few times with the college, and they know how to get in a reasonable suggestion. Talk to the president or deputy. Perhaps a charge, but swipe a student card in the machine and you get a number of hours free.....

Think of ideas, then approach someone with them. Otherwise you deserve to pay, cos you don't care enough about it.

AngelofFire

A pass system issued to staff and students free of charge would be a good idea. i think we need to encourage people who live in close proximity to the campus to leave their cars at home.time for people who have to travel far to get into UCD (i do it myself) Unless they have mobility issues ive no sympathy for anyone who drives in from clonskeagh every day. A pass system which allows staff and students to drive through the barrier erected between the number 10 bus stop and the road to the owenstown gate during rush hours should be introduced. We also need more alternatives in the from of public transport, there is clear demand for a more frequent 17 bus service, an express bus running non stop from the City Centre to campus during the 8am rush hour and back the same way in the late afternoon would be nice.

Chakar

There is most definitely a demand for a more frequent 17 bus service. I'm sick of seeing three or four 10 buses passing while I'm waiting for the 17. However it isn't economical for Dublin Bus to do so. I would have thought with a few UCD graduates in government, that it would have been sorted out.

Red Alert

Sangre that's a ridiculous suggestion. Do you think therefore Dundrum Town Centre should be banned from having automatic barriers, seen as they actually do cause tailbacks and congestion in the entire ballinteer and dundruma area?

A system using number plate recognition (ANPR) like dundrum town centre, or using RFID stickers on the windows would mean no congestion at all anyway.

singingstranger

The problem with a staff/student sticker system where outsiders are made pay but staff aren't is that the staff, as employees of the NUI, are Governmental employees and as such aren't entitled to any benefits-in-kind ('perks') of any sort. Hence, if there was a system where staff (and let's be realistic, UCD will always treat staff and students together) were entitled to a rebate or free parking when it wasn't free to outsider park-and-ride types, this would constitute a perk. It's a bit crappy but sin é.

Personally I think that there should be passes issued for staff and students and that any other cars parked in the same spot for two nights in a row should be clamped, rather than charging. It would solve the problem of people parking in UCD, hopping on the AirCoach and disappearing abroad for two weeks. That way if parking was still free, it wouldn't be a perk for staff to have it so but some freeloading outsiders would be far less inclined to dump their cars. It would also leave the possibility of society guests or guest lecturers being able to come in without being asked to pay for it.

To be honest, though, I think this one has probably been nailed down now. We all know that UCD admin types read these threads - now that they've realised they stand to make about €3.7m per year from the charges they'll have formulated draft plans on where the money's going to be spent and the ship will have sailed...

Red Alert

how about just no charge but no parking for anybody who isn't a ucd visitor? then it's not a perk, they're just locking down the campus whilst not changing current perks.

Sangre

Red Alert wrote:

Sangre that's a ridiculous suggestion. Do you think therefore Dundrum Town Centre should be banned from having automatic barriers, seen as they actually do cause tailbacks and congestion in the entire ballinteer and dundruma area?

A system using number plate recognition (ANPR) like dundrum town centre, or using RFID stickers on the windows would mean no congestion at all anyway.

Is that rheotorical?

If not then yes, I don't think they should be allowed to use a system that causes congestion if alternatives exist.

Stabshauptmann

Red Alert wrote:

If they had automatic barriers you could have a setup where a lecturer can give a guest a barcode via the SIS or Connect to be scanned at the entrance barrier.

If they went back to having automatic barriers and passes it would wipe out the park and ride crowd.

Making the car parks staff and student only would solve nothing

The problem isnt park and ride commuters.
The problem is that a greater proportion of UCD students are choosing to drive to UCD every year, particularly those who dont need to as pigeon butler pointed out.

It is a pity that students should have to pay for parking, but the current problem is extreme, getting worse, and needs to be addressed; that is why the SU have been campaigning about it.

Im not suggesting that everyone should walk, cycle or use public transport. Its not feasible.

Hourly parking charges will further damage the atmosphere in UCD as people who drive will come to their lectures and go home.

It's a pitty, but really whats the alternative?

Riamfada

Kaptain Redeye wrote:

It's a pitty, but really whats the alternative?

Lobby the coucil to alot spaces to the number of people in the college, not the number of buildings

Mark the spaces so they can fit more cars in

Barrier system to stop park and riders (even if its only a handful)

3300 Spaces. Alot 3300 permits to students and staff by priority (distance ect)

DirkVoodoo

I like Red Alert's idea about RFID stickers. I'm guessing this is similar to what E-Zpass systems use?

I remember my J1 in America, travelling around with my boss, anyone who commuted to manhattan or surrounding areas like New jersey used ezpass. There were never any queues and considering the traffic volume in the city, thats quite amazing. You would only see Queues at the toll booths.

And once it got around that you cant park in UCD unless you have a sticker, no one would bother chancing their arm anyway.

EDIT: I also think such a system would discourage people with easier access to campus than most. For example, my cousin lives a 5 minute walk from campus, yet I have occasionally seen her driving around looking for parking. Insane! Of course a rather unattractive alternative would be to turn one of the sites into a multistorey, but this would never get funding or approval methinks.

cast_iron

Red Alert wrote:

A system using number plate recognition (ANPR) like dundrum town centre, or using RFID stickers on the windows would mean no congestion at all anyway.

Far, far too expensive. Especially when faced with an option of just charging students/staff/public.

Red Alert wrote:

how about just no charge but no parking for anybody who isn't a ucd visitor?

That wouldn't solve much. Problem is there's too many UCD people wanting to park in too few spaces.

Kaptain Redeye wrote:

Hourly parking charges will further damage the atmosphere in UCD as people who drive will come to their lectures and go home.

True, but charges would probably only be 7 to 7 anyway. A flat yearly fee would solve that problem. Those who really need it, would pay it, others would think twice. End result - fewer cars parking on campus.

Grimes wrote:

Lobby the coucil to alot spaces to the number of people in the college, not the number of buildings

That'll never happen. I'm suprised they haven't started asking for UCD to reduce parking spaces. They add to the huge congestion on every route to UCD.

Stepherunie

The same problem is in CUH has UCD - too many people looking for too many places. I agree with whoever said it should be priority based. First those with disabilities who need to drive to college/work. Then those who live furthest away and commute. A system should also be put in place whereby people who would take fare longer to commute via public transport i.e. dont' leave on good bus routes etc could get access. Then the rest of the spaces make a lottery on.

Oh and we need park and rides - CUH has a very successful park and ride system because it talked to it's staff (disclaimer: i'm slightly biased, my dad implemented it), found out where they wanted park and rides, ran trial runs around Christmas and generally worked through it. They also organised a car pooling scheme.

Satellite car parks could also be an option. Again using CUH as an example they use the local rugby grounds car park during the day when it woudl otherwise be empty to accomodate staff cars and they use there own security staff to police it too.

What UCD needs is a full time staff member (if they dont' already have one)to look at these problems and work through them - it's taken CUH 8 years to get to this point and they're still working on it.

Just a few ideas for UCD to take note of.....

Red Alert

any sort of personalised 'profile' like you're suggesting is open to abuse by 'who you know' unless it's done on a totally transparent metric.

and to whoever says ANPR isn't cheap, it is comparitively not more expensive than other solutions and is less likely to fail and less prone to abuse.

i think the college is big enough to argue with DLRCOCO about the parking. The college administration goons are quite happy to have an excuse to charge for parking and aren't going to force the council's hand. But put it this way, what would the council say to someone like Microsoft in Sandyford who are in ways doing the country a favour by being here? They'd back down, for certain. The college could threaten other sanctions against the council by say revoking public access rights etc. I think there are enough students in the DLRCOCO area to go and make this an issue at the next council elections - better still let's write to our local councillors about the situation.

cast_iron

I think arguing with the council would be fruitless - not to mention counter productive. The extra cars would actually slow students and buses down due to congestion on route to UCD also. It would be against area development, and An Bord Pleanala take a much wider view than a few students fighting a parking charges.
And students don't mean a damn to local councillors. Sure most will have moved on in a couple of years anyway, so n vote to hold onto anyway. They are so transient, only their local (home) councillors would matter to them (if even). By then, the college will have gone ahead with it's cheap to implement cash cow - pay and display.

Ernie Ball

A few random thoughts:

1) The first and cheapest step would be to issue windscreen permits to all students and staff and see where that leads.

2) Are students who reside in the dorms allowed to have cars? I seem to see quite a few cars that are permanently parked near some of the residences. If so, they should not be allowed to.

3) Only those who live outside of a certain radius of the campus should be given permits.

4) The idea of charging by the hour is idiotic. Nothing like giving lecturers incentives to spend as little time as possible on campus.

5) The local SIPTU branch, I understand, has passed a motion stating that they won't be paying for parking, for whatever that's worth.