Heuston car park changing from barrier to Pay & Display

coylemj

A link to this data on irishrail.ie was just tweeted by @IrishRail....

15 April 2012

Customers are advised that from Monday 16th April, Heuston Station car park will change from a barrier operated car park to Pay and Display.

Rates for parking are:

- €1.50 per hour

- €8.00 per 24 hours

Customers can also pay using Parkbytext for €7.00 per 24 hours. The Parkbytext code for Heuston Station is 1278. The Parkbytext customer helpline is 0818 444999 and more information on how to use the service is available at www.parkbytext.ie

Customers paying cash should ensure that a valid pay ticket is clearly displayed in their car window for the full duration of parking. Pay car parking applies 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

http://t.co/A1fojTrf

=== End of quote ====

This looks like a scam to me, it basically means that you will have to pay for 24 hours or risk being clamped if you can't get your planned train back and arrive after the ticket has expired. Paying for elapsed time means that you only pay for time used, pay and display when travelling by rail means you can't take any chances so most people will have to pay for the 24 hour ticket.

Losty Dublin

Why is it a scam? Almost all people parking there are paying for a day's parking anyway so it won't make any odds. It's just the same system employed in Connolly and local stations across the country so it's no big deal.

Marcusm

A pay in arrears car park generally doesn't require clamping; pay & display (in Ireland, at least, does). IE can probably outsource management of the car park to NCPS or APCOA by going this route. Maes their management easer, unlikely to help passengers. An alternative would be a phone based system. Which could be topped up if you're unavoidably detained.

L1011

Losty Dublin wrote: »

Why is it a scam? Almost all people parking there are paying for a day's parking anyway so it won't make any odds. It's just the same system employed in Connolly and local stations across the country so it's no big deal.

Its an utter pain in the arse for users; and gives them the option of secondary revenue by clamping.

Transport hubs with parking should work on pay-on-leaving, not pay and display.

The only even partial justification for this would be that the previous operators contract has expired and they're lumping it in with the operator of their other carparks - but seeing as those work on a 24hr/weekly/monthly basis and that operator can and does do barrier systems its not a valid excuse.

Losty Dublin

MYOB wrote: »

Its an utter pain in the arse for users; and gives them the option of secondary revenue by clamping.

Transport hubs with parking should work on pay-on-leaving, not pay and display.

The only even partial justification for this would be that the previous operators contract has expired and they're lumping it in with the operator of their other carparks - but seeing as those work on a 24hr/weekly/monthly basis and that operator can and does do barrier systems its not a valid excuse.

As I already said, virtually all users would use all day tickets so it's immaterial if they pay before or after travel.

Terrontress

Losty Dublin wrote: »

MYOB wrote: »

Its an utter pain in the arse for users; and gives them the option of secondary revenue by clamping.

Transport hubs with parking should work on pay-on-leaving, not pay and display.

The only even partial justification for this would be that the previous operators contract has expired and they're lumping it in with the operator of their other carparks - but seeing as those work on a 24hr/weekly/monthly basis and that operator can and does do barrier systems its not a valid excuse.

As I already said, virtually all users would use all day tickets so it's immaterial if they pay before or after travel.

So because it's alright for "virtually all users" it's acceptable to clamp the remainder when their train is delayed because there aren't that many of them?

Or have them pay for additional parking they don't need in case it is delayed?

MrDerp

Hang on though.

In 4 hours and 1 minute of arrears-based parking you'd have wracked up 7.50. Where, pray tell, are you going that you'd drive to Heuston Station, get a train, do some business, and be back to Heuston all within 4 hours to avail of this 6 euro parking?

I can't think of any situation where I'd do that, and not drive to whatever location was clearly within 90 minutes drive.

dowlingm

I find it difficult to get exercised about this. As prime city centre parking Heuston and stations like it should not be cheap parking and should favour longer stays. If it costs a lot to park then there should be agitation for more integration between IE and the city bus agencies rather than the limited arrangements currently in place.

foggy_lad

Marcusm wrote: »

A pay in arrears car park generally doesn't require clamping; pay & display (in Ireland, at least, does). IE can probably outsource management of the car park to NCPS or APCOA by going this route. Maes their management easer, unlikely to help passengers. An alternative would be a phone based system. Which could be topped up if you're unavoidably detained.

When did Irish Rail ever do anything to help their passengers?

https://twitter.com/#!/RailUsersIe/status/191568888314597376

They can't even provide basic accessibility for the disabled at their largerst stations! Afaik the lifts at Balbriggan are still out of order after several weeks.

How much do staff pay for Parking at Heuston?

Genghis

Marcusm wrote: »

Maes their management easer, unlikely to help passengers. An alternative would be a phone based system. Which could be topped up if you're unavoidably detained.

This more or less describes the new pay by text service, i.e. phone based and can be topped up remotely

L1011

Losty Dublin wrote: »

As I already said, virtually all users would use all day tickets so it's immaterial if they pay before or after travel.

The more realistic problem is needing to come back *the next day*, not a bit late on the same day.

Marcusm

Genghis wrote: »

This more or less describes the new pay by text service, i.e. phone based and can be topped up remotely

True but they are operating that service on the basis of a minimum 1 day charge. Interestingly, I was in Blanchardstown hospital today and a patient info sign in A&E mentioned this service; there was no sign of it anywhere near the car park as far as I could see!!

Losty Dublin

MYOB wrote: »

The more realistic problem is needing to come back *the next day*, not a bit late on the same day.

But you still pay the same rate for one, two or even a dozen days regardless of when you pay.

Hilly Bill

foggy_lad wrote: »

When did Irish Rail ever do anything to help their passengers?

https://twitter.com/#!/RailUsersIe/status/191568888314597376

They can't even provide basic accessibility for the disabled at their largerst stations! Afaik the lifts at Balbriggan are still out of order after several weeks.

How much do staff pay for Parking at Heuston?

Do you think they leave them out of order out of spite Foggy? Actually im sure you do .

What does it matter how much staff pay for parking?

Hilly Bill

MYOB wrote: »

Its an utter pain in the arse for users; and gives them the option of secondary revenue by clamping.

Transport hubs with parking should work on pay-on-leaving, not pay and display.

The only even partial justification for this would be that the previous operators contract has expired and they're lumping it in with the operator of their other carparks - but seeing as those work on a 24hr/weekly/monthly basis and that operator can and does do barrier systems its not a valid excuse.

That makes sense to me but how hard is it to pay for 24 hrs if you know you will be away for it and then pay by text if you are going to be late?

L1011

Losty Dublin wrote: »

But you still pay the same rate for one, two or even a dozen days regardless of when you pay.

How, pray tell, does someone who has been delayed in Cork and didn't remember to take down the details to register for a pay by text service they may never use, pay for another day?

We get some utterly surreal defences of Irish Rails pay parking policies on here.

I'd also be willing to bet a car with an expired paper ticket in the window will be clamped without them ever checking the pay by text system.

Losty Dublin

MYOB wrote: »

How, pray tell, does someone who has been delayed in Cork and didn't remember to take down the details to register for a pay by text service they may never use, pay for another day?

We get some utterly surreal defences of Irish Rails pay parking policies on here.

I'd also be willing to bet a car with an expired paper ticket in the window will be clamped without them ever checking the pay by text system.

In the off chance that you are delayed by hours and hours and your train in late, you could try ringing Irish Rail and asking them the park text details for a start. Surreal idea to ring and ask I know

foggy_lad

MYOB wrote: »

How, pray tell, does someone who has been delayed in Cork and didn't remember to take down the details to register for a pay by text service they may never use, pay for another day?

We get some utterly surreal defences of Irish Rails pay parking policies on here.

I'd also be willing to bet a car with an expired paper ticket in the window will be clamped without them ever checking the pay by text system.

If you get the Aircoach Bus instead of the train you are less likely to be delayed and can park somewhere else for the day.

coylemj

Losty Dublin wrote: »

In the off chance that you are delayed by hours and hours and your train in late, you could try ringing Irish Rail and asking them the park text details for a start. Surreal idea to ring and ask I know

Even more surreal to expect someone from IR to deal with that type of query and anyway the general IR phone number only takes calls up to 18:00 so if you've been delayed by 'hours and hours' you'll probably come back to find that you've been clamped.

n97 mini

coylemj wrote: »

the general IR phone number only takes calls up to 18:00

Try get someone to answer after 3pm on a Friday, and all weekend after that.

L1011

Losty Dublin wrote: »

In the off chance that you are delayed by hours and hours and your train in late, you could try ringing Irish Rail and asking them the park text details for a start. Surreal idea to ring and ask I know

Have you tried getting Irish Rail to answer the phone after 5pm? Or on weekends? Let alone that the person who answers the phone is unlikely to know the details anyway.


Giving improbable excuses doesn't get away from the issue - that Irish Rail HAD a properly working system here which they have now withdrawn and replaced with one that's not as good.

dowlingm

MYOB wrote: »

How, pray tell, does someone who has been delayed in Cork and didn't remember to take down the details to register for a pay by text service they may never use, pay for another day?

We get some utterly surreal defences of Irish Rails pay parking policies on here.

I'd also be willing to bet a car with an expired paper ticket in the window will be clamped without them ever checking the pay by text system.

Every so often on here there are people who expect IE to cater to people so halfwitted they shouldn't own a car.

So - delayed, don't know how to pay, after 1500 on Friday
Option 1: get out smartphone and http://lmgtfy.com/?q=park+by+text+heuston+station
Option 2: if you don't have a smartphone or are too old to work one, call a friend/grandson

Feck sake. IE try and increase ancilliary revenue - which is avoidable by arriving by foot or public transport - as an alternative to a (larger) fare hike and they get slammed.

Enlighten me foggy_lad - where IS Aircoach's car parking facility in Dublin and Cork city centre, and what are their parking policies? Having a bit of trouble finding a reference on their website.

L1011

dowlingm wrote: »

Every so often on here there are people who expect IE to cater to people so halfwitted they shouldn't own a car.

I expect businesses to not degrade their quality of service for no appreciable benefit other than possibly getting some clamping revenue from their own customers. That's all I expect, possibly a bit much to expect from an incompetent "business" mind.

Barrier systems (on large segregated carparks, which Heuston most certainly is) are more convenient for everyone except a company who wants to alienate customers.

Also, if I'm not mistaken, park by text requires you to use a credit or debit card. Not everyone *has* one of these or is willing to give it to yet another organisation, particularly over the phone and even more particularly for a single transaction

I'm also of the opinion that lmgtfy links should probably be blocked here - fairly quick way to pointlessly insult someone.

dowlingm

MYOB wrote: »

I expect businesses to not degrade their quality of service for no appreciable benefit other than possibly getting some clamping revenue from their own customers.

IE's business is running trains. It is not a car park operator and its competition do not operate car parks. As far as I'm concerned they could charge 100 euro a day and have an automatic clamp ready to snap shut under each parking space.

L1011

dowlingm wrote: »

IE's business is running trains. It is not a car park operator and its competition do not operate car parks. As far as I'm concerned they could charge 100 euro a day and have an automatic clamp ready to snap shut under each parking space.

They provide them as a service to their customers, as it is one of the few things that they can offer their competitors do not.

They're now making that service worse for no reason - its not like they're introducing a poor system from day 1, they're removing one that works.

parsi

dowlingm wrote: »

Enlighten me foggy_lad - where IS Aircoach's car parking facility in Dublin and Cork city centre, and what are their parking policies? Having a bit of trouble finding a reference on their website.

It's down in Kent Station..along with their shelters.

I dislike pay-n-display for places where you may not get back in time (or where your return is out of your control). The Bons in Cork does that and you end up paying for longer than you need as they are clamp-happy.

Losty Dublin

MYOB wrote: »

Have you tried getting Irish Rail to answer the phone after 5pm? Or on weekends? Let alone that the person who answers the phone is unlikely to know the details anyway.

Pick up the phone book and you will find all stations phone numbers are listed. They are also on their website as well along with opening hours along with the operator of the car parks, Euro Carparks.

MYOB wrote: »

Giving improbable excuses doesn't get away from the issue - that Irish Rail HAD a properly working system here which they have now withdrawn and replaced with one that's not as good.

Of course, you know it's not as good after a whopping 1 1/2 days of operation in Heuston :rolleyes: I take it that you have used the service this week that you can vouch for this travesty of parking injustice

L1011

Losty Dublin wrote: »

Pick up the phone book and you will find all stations phone numbers are listed. They are also on their website as well along with opening hours along with the operator of the car parks, Euro Carparks.

My point still holds - you realise at 6pm you can't make it home. Neither Irish Rail, Heuston (whatever their official opening hours) or ECP are going to be able to help you.

IF you do get info you're still left needing a payment card you may not have or be willing to give to them.

Losty Dublin wrote: »

Of course, you know it's not as good after a whopping 1 1/2 days of operation in Heuston :rolleyes: I take it that you have used the service this week that you can vouch for this travesty of parking injustice

The facilities being offered are inferior to what was there before. There is no need to use it to see that.

Why are you defending this so strongly?

Losty Dublin

MYOB wrote: »

My point still holds - you realise at 6pm you can't make it home. Neither Irish Rail, Heuston (whatever their official opening hours) or ECP are going to be able to help you.

IF you do get info you're still left needing a payment card you may not have or be willing to give to them.

The facilities being offered are inferior to what was there before. There is no need to use it to see that.

Why are you defending this so strongly?

Still picking excuses out of the air, I see

L1011

Losty Dublin wrote: »

Still picking excuses out of the air, I see

If you don't consider this to be a massive change for the worse, I don't see what you'd ever see to be.

I'm getting memories of the "don't call it 50%!!! Its only a euro!" protests we had on here. Definitely some excessive love for Irish Rail's parking.

Blanchguy

It's much cheaper to run a pay and display car park than a pay on foot car park. Maybe that's why they made the change. Typically less revenue would be received from P+D, even when you include clamping revenue. In a well managed system clamping would be suspended if there were train delays.

ProudDUB

Blanchguy wrote: »

In a well managed system clamping would be suspended if there were train delays.

In a well mananged system, yes. However this IS Ireland. Therefore, not a chance. :rolleyes:

n97 mini

dowlingm wrote: »

Feck sake. IE try and increase ancilliary revenue - which is avoidable by arriving by foot or public transport -

Anyone wanting to be in Cork say, for business, i.e. the paying customer types, will want to be on the 0700 train ex Heuston. Not everyone has public transport available to them that will have them at Heuston by 0640.

foggy_lad

ProudDUB wrote: »

In a well mananged system, yes. However this IS Ireland. Therefore, not a chance. :rolleyes:

It is Irish Rail, There is no way they would pass up the opportunity of making extra revenue from passengers so clamping would never be suspended unless done as a pr exercise to try to fudge some other serious issue.

schemingbohemia

n97 mini wrote: »

Anyone wanting to be in Cork say, for business, i.e. the paying customer types, will want to be on the 0700 train ex Heuston. Not everyone has public transport available to them that will have them at Heuston by 0640.

Correct but how are those people going to be affected by this change? They'll just pay the daily fare anyway, so no problem. The idea that this change is going to have some huge impact on passengers is nonsense given the difference between paying for 3 hours and the daily fare.

n97 mini

schemingbohemia wrote: »

Correct but how are those people going to be affected by this change?

I was refuting the point that it is avoidable if you just "walk or get public transport".

n97 mini

Who is managing the car park at Heuston currently?

bazza1

Euro car parks

n97 mini

Was that put out to tender?