Iarnrod Éireann to start charging for car parking at Sallins

Kashkai

Just heard from a colleague that good old IR will shortly start charging for car parking at Sallins train station. That explains why they diverted drivers in through the new shopping centre car park at the begining of this month. Euro car parks who run the car parking in this centre are zealots who pounce on you if you don't buy a ticket even when you are just running into Supervalu for milk - sum total 5 minutes. They will no doubt, fully enforce the parking charging at the train station.

Has anyone else got a problem with this? I gave up driving into Dublin because of the hassle, the delays etc and took to the train and put up with never getting a seat and being crammed into carriages that are older than me where the only heat is that supplied by my fellow sardines, because the plus side is that my commuting time was cut to 30 minutes. However, after paying 30 euro for a weekily ticket, why the hell should I pay IR for car parking as well? Isn't taking public transport the "right" thing to do. All this will mean is that a sizable percentage of people will say feck it and get back into their cars. The alternative is that Sallins will be swamped with commuter's cars which will lead to pay parking being installed on the streets by the Council (conspiracy theorists feel free to jump in here).

For my own part, I live in the sticks 2 miles outside Prosperous and therefore have to drive to the station in Sallins as it would take and hour and a half to walk there. Sometimes, I shake my head in wonder at how the powers that be can always be relied upon to make our lives just that little bit harder.

_Kaiser_

Prosperous Dave wrote: »

Sometimes, I shake my head in wonder at how the powers that be can always be relied upon to make our lives just that little bit harder.

That's easy. They're whisked about in luxury cars we pay for, and which come with free Garda escorts to avoid that pesky traffic people complain about.

trellheim

Not the government I'm afraid, their official policy is to encourage park and ride.

Iarnrod Eireann made this decision. Join your local Rail lobby group [ there is one ] and complain.

Victor

The is NASRUG - Naas and Sallins Rail Users Group. Take a look here: http://www.railusers.ie/forum/forumdisplay.php?f=26

fitzyshea

Propserous Dave, can I ask if you dont pay for the car park who will? They will just factor it into your train ticket instead.

D'Peoples Voice

Relax your kacks!
Barry Kenny was on Newstalk last week talking about IE run cark parks in the midlands and the cost of investing to expand and improve them. The cost of the investment will be clawed back by charging customers,
can't remember the price exactly,
was it EUR 1 a day
Anyway all I can accurately remember was that
IE won't be charging as much as the short-term car park run by DAA.
And you can quote me on that!

Victor

€2 per day or €5 per week.

godtabh

Victor wrote: »

€2 per day or €5 per week.

IS that every where? I know at Louisa Bridge it is

Kashkai

Thing is............they're not providing anything new here. The existing car parks that have been free for the life of this republic of ours are now going to be charged for. You will still have to take your chances that the gombeen woman in the 3.0 Landcruiser (you know who you are:mad:) won't back into your car or knock your wingmirror as she has no idea how to drive the bloody thing. Or are IR going to offer to valet our cars and have the engines running, cars warmed up for us tired workers to sit in when our trains arrive:rolleyes:

The car parking fee is just another way to screw even more money out of us for a substandard train service. Why don't they concentrate on getting trains to arrive on time (their timetable is a masterpiece of fiction), the slim possibility of getting a seat, heating that works, etc or is that beyond them?

dcr22B

Would it be too much to ask that we could integrate any potential parking charegs in the future into our current rail tickets therefore nullifying the necessity to have to buy a ticket every day/week/month and therefore avoiding having to queue to pay if you're late in the morning/in a hurry in the evening.

trellheim

Rail Users Ireland are fighting for this continually [ against Paid carparking ].

One wonders why we give CIE 306 million euro a year.

Are there no DTO estimates regarding Park and Ride ?

You have to remember RPA led the way here with introducing [paid ] P&R at the Luas

Kashkai

And another thing.............................

You can bet that the car parking costs will increase each year in tandem with IR's rail fare increases. I'm going back to driving into work, at least I have a seat, music, personal space etc and if I have to pay a fortune in car tax, insurance costs, etc, well at least I'm getting some use of the car for the money it costs to run.

Victor

trellheim wrote: »

You have to remember RPA led the way here with introducing [paid ] P&R at the Luas

In fairness, 6 months before Luas opened they were getting queries from people in working in Sandyford Industrial Estate, looking to park there. They had no choice but to introduce paid parking.

D'Peoples Voice

Even Belfield Park'n'Ride or UCD as some people call it,
are now charging for dumping your car there for the day:(

Still at least the Dublin West Park'n'Ride (The Square Car Park) in Tallaght doesn't charge:D

MOH

fitzyshea wrote: »

Propserous Dave, can I ask if you dont pay for the car park who will? They will just factor it into your train ticket instead.

It's already paid for by the taxpayer. This is just plain gouging.

DWCommuter

MOH wrote: »

It's already paid for by the taxpayer. This is just plain gouging.

Well done on finding that. Furthermore not all the DOT money has been drawn down. Hmmm....

Nah. Theres no conspiracy, just plain laziness, poor communication between dept. and semi states and eh.. the usual "milk it for all its worth" attitude that took hold here over the last 10 years. Its basic government practise.

"The more money we can put in their pockets, the more we can take back."

MonsieurD

http://www.independent.ie/national-news/irish-rail-defends-83645aweek-car-park-charges-1239057.html

jimmylawman

Hi guys. James from NASRUG here. I've just posted a blog entry which explains the parking situation at the station : http://jameslawless.ie Feel free to leave a comment whether ye agree or disagree. Also if you are not already members please consider joining our rail group - there is a link from the blog.