Free parking at shopping centres questioned by city council

Procasinator

FREE parking at the Crescent and other suburban shopping centres could be targeted if Limerick City Council approves a call to introduce charges at any shopping centre served by public transport.

At a meeting of the transport policy committee, transport consultant James Nix said that employers group IBEC was in favour of such a proposal.

He said that it had been agreed at a workshop of the committee that they would write to Ministers Phil Hogan and Michael Noonan “to implement charging for parking at shopping centres which are served by a bus route”.

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Charge for a service they don't provide. What a great idea!

Kess73

Ah so they are back to using the free car parking as the main excuse as to why the city has been in freefall for years.

That's right lads it is all the free parking and out of town shopping centres, there could not possibly be any other reasons for Limerick city being the worst city in Ireland in retail terms with only Waterford coming close.


All those empty units in the Jetland, Parkway, Coonagh, and Castletroy shopping centres are sure signs that the out of town centres are all booming.

Do these idiots think if people have to pay for parking at the Crescent Shopping centre that it will force people into going to a city centre where they will still have to pay for parking but have vastly inferior shopping options?


Also if they follow their own "logic" then will they charge for car parking at any cluster of shops with car parking spaces that is served by a bus stop?

Beaver1

sure isn't the crescent private property, the council cant implement that.

BobMc

another hair brained idea from the city co. (nearly as bad as the one way athlunkard bridge proposal) clueluess twats, the IQ level beggars belief sometimes

Kess73

Beaver1 wrote: »

sure isn't the crescent private property, the council cant implement that.

Could possibly bring in a car park levy or increase the rates based on parking spaces, which in turn would see the CSC have to either absorb the cost, pass it on to the retailers/service providers by way of rate/rent increases or charge for parking.


Would not be surprised either if there was some petty attempt to remove the two bus stops outside the Crescent SC if the certain members of the council do not get their way.


If by some hook or crook manner they do get their way and get parking charges in the CSC, I reckon the shopping centre will not get hit badly by way of business but it will hit the city as people who currently use the shopping centre and the city centre in the same day may decide that paying once for car parking is enough and just stick with the shopping centre and avoid the city althogher where possible.

Limerick city has far bigger problems that riddle it to the core than the doughnut effect and car parking effect that many councillors like to bs on about as being the be all and end all, the same councillors that for the most part have no business backgrounds, no planning backgrounds, no legal backgrounds, and don't even have retail backgrounds.

Cookiemunster

Kess73 wrote: »

Could possibly bring in a car park levy or increase the rates based on parking spaces, which in turn would see the CSC have to either absorb the cost, pass it on to the retailers/service providers by way of rate/rent increases or charge for parking.


Would not be surprised either if there was some petty attempt to remove the two bus stops outside the Crescent SC if the certain members of the council do not get their way.


If by some hook or crook manner they do get their way and get parking charges in the CSC, I reckon the shopping centre will not get hit badly by way of business but it will hit the city as people who currently use the shopping centre and the city centre in the same day may decide that paying once for car parking is enough and just stick with the shopping centre and avoid the city althogher where possible.

Limerick city has far bigger problems that riddle it to the core than the doughnut effect and car parking effect that many councillors like to bs on about as being the be all and end all, the same councillors that for the most part have no business backgrounds, no planning backgrounds, no legal backgrounds, and don't even have retail backgrounds.

Thing is the city council have no authority to do anything at the Crescent as its in the county. Even after amalgamation they'll be outnumbered by county based councillors.

Procasinator

I think the proposal will have little to any benefit for public transport or the city centre. It will benefit the council and whoever is tasked with implementing the infrastructure for charge collection, but only at the expense of the general public and potentially other retailers.

It will probably also benefit online retailers, who are competitive on price and convenience even before the proposed parking charges.

bazz26

Desperatation from an incompentent council who can't see the woods from the trees. If they really think that charging for car park space in suburban shopping centres will solve all their problems and bring people back into the city then they really are deluded and disassociated from reality.

krudler

yeah, thats how they'll fix the city, charge people to not park in it, fcuking idiots.

Kess73

Cookiemunster wrote: »

Thing is the city council have no authority to do anything at the Crescent as its in the county. Even after amalgamation they'll be outnumbered by county based councillors.

Looking at what has been proposed by way of the new council set up it would appear that they will indeed hold sway over that side of town once the new system is established.

What was released about the new set up suggested that it will be one authority but with three sub sections for lack of a better term.

One would deal with the city centre, and a chunk of the suburbs, another would deal with the Castletroy side along with the remaining chunk of the suburbs, whilst the third section would take the county.

To me it smacked of the city and county being carved up so that councillors will be able to get placed into the sub section that would suit them best by way of parish pump politics.

Another way to look at it is that if a car park charge was brought in by the new set up for all the shopping centres that have a bus stop near them, it would see a nice swelling of the council coffers for junkets, expenses and what not. Now look at those in councillor positions, city and county, look at their track record, and then honestly tell me that you would be confident that if the idea came about that any money raised would be put towards bettering Limerick and not find it's way into expense accounts etc.


I just think it is an awful idea and smacks of folk who should not be in charge of a lemonade stall let alone a city and county.

thesimpsons

only muppets could come up with a proposal like this - I really do wonder what planet these muppets live on.

panda100

Kess73 wrote: »

Ah so they are back to using the free car parking as the main excuse as to why the city has been in freefall for years.

In my opinion it does play a significant role though. Since I've moved back to Limerick in August, I've not been into the city once for shopping. My main reason for this would be due to parking. It is so much more easier to just go to the cresent, where you don't have to worry about parking fines, parking discs, and car park charges.
Aside from parking, the biggest issue for m alsoe is that there are no late night coffee shops in town. This is catered for with Costa coffee in the retail parks and shopping centres.

Anyways, stupid idea from council is stupid. Seriously who are these people??

Berty

So the council officials out by the crescent will have to pay to get into their own car park because the access is on crescent property. :rolleyes:

theparish

Surely a bear tax has far greater priority.
Secondly a Marks and Spencer tax for councillors love of lingerie.

Berty

theparish wrote: »

Surely a bear tax has far greater priority.
Secondly a Marks and Spencer tax for councillors love of lingerie.

How about a fine for council vans with more than 3 people in it to collect one radiator from a garden.

jamezy

Its almost funny in "i cant believe this is the best idea these morons came up with" kind of way... But then the disillusionment replaces the abject humour.

wingnut

There is loads of parking in Limerick city center..... if you are a taxi driver that is.

thesimpsons

wingnut wrote: »

There is loads of parking in Limerick city center..... if you are a taxi driver that is.

I was in city centre 3 times this week (i know I should really organise my schedules better) but I got on street parking every time within a very easy 5 minute walk of O'Connell Street for 1e an hour with parkmagic. I really don't think you can argue with that. Parking isn't a problem, but people keep using it as an excuse.

Raiser

The Crescent is in Limerick County though isn't it?

- Either way I'd happily pay upwards of $100 not have to go next, nigh or near Limerick City - its sickening to watch the utterly laughable league of Limerick City Councillors bludgeon this wreck of a city to a slow and gory death through their rampant stupidity and amateur hour antics.....

Kess73

Raiser wrote: »

The Crescent is in Limerick County though isn't it?

- Either way I'd happily pay upwards of $100 not have to go next, nigh or near Limerick City - its sickening to watch the utterly laughable league of Limerick City Councillors bludgeon this wreck of a city to a slow and gory death through their rampant stupidity and amateur hour antics.....

Raiser, you are still kicking. :eek:

Good to see you are still around fella.

flutered

james nix, is he not a member of the green party who failed to get elected to the co council around newcastle west, he then moved to the city, i think he stood in one or two general elections, he is also a barrister, funny how a by being member of the city council is better than working as a barrister, my mind is boggling.

zuroph

can you imagine the traffic chaos if the Crescent had to change to a gated charge system...

Berty

zuroph wrote: »

can you imagine the traffic chaos if the Crescent had to change to a gated charge system...

I can imagine myself parking in the housing estates anyway or on the approach roads.

krudler

zuroph wrote: »

can you imagine the traffic chaos if the Crescent had to change to a gated charge system...

I live near it so i'd usually walk down unless i have to go someplace else after or am doing a big shop but yeah, fcuk that i'd rather drive out to coonagh if they started charging

trellheim

The square in Tallaght changed to a gated charge cos the world and its wife was using it as a park and ride for the LUAS . Somehow everyone built a bridge and moved on.

Berty

trellheim wrote: »

The square in Tallaght changed to a gated charge cos the world and its wife was using it as a park and ride for the LUAS . Somehow everyone built a bridge and moved on.

They struggle to fill that car park so it's not park n riders that are an issue out there rather a greedy council from what the opening post tells us.

Roadtrippin

thesimpsons wrote: »

only muppets could come up with a proposal like this - I really do wonder what planet these muppets live on.

Planet Limerick. It's a special place...

Have to say this is the worst idea yet they have come up with to 'revive' the city centre trading! Idiots!
I'm pretty sure there would be a few obstacles in the way before they can implement that since the Crescent is private property as some already pointed out.
Also, what the heck are they thinking??? If they do go through with that, I for one will save myself the trip to the Crescent and just shop online more!
So, less business for the Crescent altogether and probably not more for the city centre... Not really what they should be aiming for!

Another well though-out idea by Limerick city council!

thesimpsons

wonder how they would attempt to differentiate between the Crescent and other suburban centres like Jetland or Coonagh which really don't take any business from the city centre, or somewhere like or other little shopping strips. even a local spar or centra should be charged similiarly then for having a bus service to dare stop nearby (despite the fact that people not going shopping happen to use the bus as well )

Roadtrippin

thesimpsons wrote: »

wonder how they would attempt to differentiate between the Crescent and other suburban centres like Jetland or Coonagh which really don't take any business from the city centre, or somewhere like or other little shopping strips. even a local spar or centra should be charged similiarly then for having a bus service to dare stop nearby (despite the fact that people not going shopping happen to use the bus as well )

Yeah, I was wondering that as well. How would that even work?

Can you imagine the Parkway or Childers Road charging for parking? People would start a riot! :pac:

thesimpsons

rather than attempt tackle the problem, Council thinks it just easy to keep harping on about the crescent. was in Cork recently on a Monday- the car parks were giving out free parking till 12 noon, there was free onstreet parking till 11am and alot of the shops were having genuine "Monday morning now only" sales. There was a thursday recently enough when students were getting big discounts in most of the shops. thats the way to start generating a bit of business in the city shops, not the constant harping on about the crescent.

Comhrá

Can you imagine the Parkway or Childers Road charging for parking? People would start a riot!

Childers Road parking - especially around Christmas- is such a nightmare, they should be actually paying people to go in there......it's a logistical disaster, especially trying to exit it..... The idea of paying to park there would be totally grotesque.