Parking in NUI, Maynooth

dillo2k10

How big of a problem is parking? I was there for Orientation and there was a lot of cars there already and that was just a fraction of first years and staff. The rest of first years and other years still had to be put in.

How hard is it to get parking? The earliest that I will be in is 10am not in 'til 11 most days and at 1 on one day. I assume the later Im there the harder parking will become?

What should I do if I can't get parking? Can you park in the Car park for the shopping Center?

LeixlipRed

Not a chance you'll get a space easily at those times. You could be lucky of course! Not sure what craic with car park is at Manor Mills, it's free to park but dunno if they keep track of who's parking there. Someone else might know.

Evita

If you're near public transport I'd advise using it. But if you're like many of us who live nowhere near any mode of public transport and have no other option but to drive then I'd advise coming in for 10am even if your class isn't till 1pm. It used to be the case that you would get a spot somewhere after looking for a while but since APCOA have come in that's no longer the case as they have drastically reduced the amount of spaces available by dividing it up into staff, student and car sharing. So you might see lots of available spaces in the car sharing section or the staff section or the pay & display section but can't park there because you’re a student and you presumably don't want to pay by the hour either whereas before APCOA you could park in any of the car parks.
After 2pm you'll usually get a spot but again it's not so easy since APCOA. I came in at 2.15pm in April one day and struggled to find a spot. I came in at 11.30am one morning in April and spent 40 minutes driving around looking for a spot and in the end just went home as I couldn't get one. Not sure about Manor Mills as I'd be afraid they'd clamp you. Maybe Tesco? And walk all the way down. NUIM apparently has some arrangement with the GAA that you can use their facility - out the Moyglare Road *I think* and a very long walk. I don't think it's a particularly clever option for the long dark winter evenings and nights. If public transport is available it will save the stress but if it's not available I will caution that it's very difficult to get a spot anywhere.

dillo2k10

I will try to get in Early when I can but I emailed Manor Mills and they said parking is free all day

sanj2408

I found last year that if you were in by 9 you'd get a space no problem but after that you'll find it difficult. I ended up going in at 9 most days. I used to start 9, 10 and 11.
If you're parking in Manor Mills take off your NUIM parking permit just in case. Last year they revoked permission for students to use the car park because some eejits were walking up the vehicle ramp down into it.
Also, watch the clampers, they're ruthless.

sudzy

Can you park in Manor mills overnight?

cython

Evita wrote: »

If you're near public transport I'd advise using it. But if you're like many of us who live nowhere near any mode of public transport and have no other option but to drive then I'd advise coming in for 10am even if your class isn't till 1pm. It used to be the case that you would get a spot somewhere after looking for a while but since APCOA have come in that's no longer the case as they have drastically reduced the amount of spaces available by dividing it up into staff, student and car sharing. So you might see lots of available spaces in the car sharing section or the staff section or the pay & display section but can't park there because you’re a student and you presumably don't want to pay by the hour either whereas before APCOA you could park in any of the car parks.

On the bold, those spaces are only reserved for car sharing up until 10am, at which point anyone may use them in the same way as the normal multi-permit spaces.

Maynooth1

dillo2k10 wrote: »

I will try to get in Early when I can but I emailed Manor Mills and they said parking is free all day

Parking is only free for Customers with a max of two hours.

pocpaul

I was in this morning for 10 and drove around looking for a space for a half hour then I ended up parking in the pay&display even though I have a permit. I paid up to 1:45 for almost €6 and got caught up in a lecture and came out at 2:15 with a big ****off clamp on my car! No talking to the guy as he didn't care what I said so had to fork out the €80 out of my weekly €140 budget. I think it is ridicules that students get the same fines as the general public! After paying the €40 for the year parking then to have to result to the pay&display is bad enough but then on top of the €6 for todays parking having to fork out €80 over being 30mins late is just bs. I'm going to the student union Monday to see what can be done, we should not have to abide by the same rules the working public have as students. This private company is making a ****ing killing of of students who barely have enough to get through the week. Anybody else think something needs to be done here?

LeixlipRed

People have been saying it for a year now, a campaign against the privitisation of parking on campus needs to be started. I can give some advice and help out but I can't take on any organisational role. If you can find a person/people to do that I'd be more than willing. The SU won't lead the charge because the university have implemented this. I'd call on them to come out and directly oppose the parking charges and mount a campaign to have the clampers kicked off campus.

irish_goat

When Maynooth town implements paid parking how will the uni stop everyone just parking on campus?

LeixlipRed

Give out free permits to students.

pocpaul

Yes I couldn't imagine I'm the first to think this as obviously every student clamped would do so. But jesus it doesn't take a genius to work it out. They brought this crowd in to stop on overflow of parking but instead its turned into a money making racket which the University doesn't gain from. If they got them out and took the money from permits and pay&displays for just a year would they not be able to build a multistory on campus or fund some expansion to the parking spaces? Rather than subject students to public transport, let them drive and in the long run they will profit! My permit is almost useless after 10am so I will be following this up no doubt.

Evita

Join the club. Parking in NUIM has been disastrous for years but in my experience as a driver to NUIM I think APCOA have made it a billion times worse. Like you I have had the situation where I came in and drove around for 30 minutes before. One day I just went home after circling for half an hour as I simply will never park in pay & display because we’ve already given them €40 which is €40 too much if you ask me. I also don’t think the GAA car park is a great idea for people walking back to late on their own in the dark evenings/nights. Yeah, that car pooling, public transport, walk/cycle initiative is working great NUIM… The problem is an initiative like that just doesn’t work for people (of which there are many) who live in rural areas perhaps 15-20 miles away with no public transport, where it would be very dangerous & time consuming to walk or cycle, and no neighbours going anywhere near Maynooth to car share with. Some students & staff may also work sporadic hours in Maynooth and it is simply not sensible for them to car pool or wait around for a bus if they only need to be in there for one hour or half an hour.
Absolutely disgusting what the university has done. Thought the SU were going to tackle the issue sometime. I just thought it had been mentioned in the manifestos, no? Maybe not. Ho hum.
Really sorry to hear what happened to you, Pocpaul. I see APCOA patrolling around in their little van all the time so you really can’t run over time or you can be sure they’ll clamp. You have my sympathy.

Ms. Koi

sudzy wrote: »

Can you park in Manor mills overnight?

They close Manor Mills at 8pm and, I may be wrong, but you might have to pay €80 release fee if you need your car after this time. I wouldn't imagine you would be able to leave the car there overnight though.

Regarding the GAA, while it is a little walk away (realistically 10 minutes, max), the spots are there. The Moyglare Road is very dark in the evenings. I don't walk down it late at night on my own. Never have. It's handy if you are only in for an hour or two and it's still bright out.

I'm lucky that I don't need to drive to college, but I do see people who live in the village, locals and then people renting for the college terms driving in. I don't see the point in this at all!! It's a bit silly really! I would only drive down for society events in the evenings, so I don't have to walk home in the dark alone. I wouldn't dream of getting a permit for the year...waste of money and I'm taking up a space of someone who needs it!