Waterford - End of free parking while not charging

zg3409

Electric Vehicles and Free Parking

For the past few years, the Council has permitted free-of-charge parking for electric vehicles in the public pay and display parking areas in Waterford.

However, following a review of our parking charges and given the significant increase in the numbers of EVs on the roads, the Council cannot continue to sustain this incentive. Accordingly, public free parking for EVs within the Council’s pay and display car parks and streets will cease from 1st February 2023.

The Council will continue to operate free parking for EV and PHEV vehicles while charging at designated public EV charging points throughout Waterford City and County.

The Council will also be facilitating a significant investment which will see 12 new fast EV charging points being delivered across the city and county during 2023.

If you have any further queries in relation to this matter, please contact our Customer Services Department on 0818 10 20 20.

Furze99

"The Council will continue to operate free parking for EV and PHEV vehicles while charging at designated public EV charging points throughout Waterford City and County."

Have ye thought this out? Are you charging a suitably punitive rate for public charging? Otherwise, a very few people will just plug in and park free all day. Whilst others fume.

Berty

As they're likely only in the process of updating their website this is what is typed on their website about free parking for EV in the bays

"All vehicles must be moved once the charge is complete" , I also see it makes reference to the timing enforcement so likely people can't just, even currently, plug in and head off for the day. I guess they likely had an overstay or upper limit of time you can stay there based on that comment applicable to all vehicles.

Down the bottom(as of the 6th January at least)

https://www.waterfordcouncil.ie/departments/roads-parking/parking.htm

the_amazing_raisin

Great news I would say, prevents abuse of the existing charging points

12 new charging points is good news as well, although I'm going to guess it'll be 6 of those crappy ESB triple head units that can charge one car on DC and one on AC

So in reality it'll probably be 6 useful chargers and 6 useless ones

Still, probably more chargers per person than Dublin is getting 😫

slave1

It is a bit of a quandry, if I want to use my nearest fast charger I have to pay for both the charger and because it's in a council car park I have to pay a parking fee on top, even though it would be whilst I'm sitting in the car or nearby stretching my legs for 20/30minutes.

Type 17

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120073222#Comment_120073222

I'll believe the 6 crappy head units when I see them live - only one DC charger in the whole city at present (and only one other in the whole county).

Pity about the end of free EV parking, we did make a point of bringing our EV, not our ICE, when parking there (and Tramore & Dungarvan).

eagerv

I don't think it will stop people overstaying on the AC chargers, was chatting to a parking warden last year who said they don't ticket any car that is plugged in, so they don't check if it is actively charging. Even if they did, on many cars you can dial down the Amps which is not ideal if the aim is to free up scarce charging resources.

Dubwat

The Council will also be facilitating a significant investment which will see 12 new fast EV charging points being delivered across the city and county during 2023.

Hmm, the word 'delivered' could have several different interpretations. I guess they'll be delivered to a central Council depot but after that? Have there been any site announcements or planning applications submitted yet? From reading this site, getting chargers through the planning and commissioning phases takes a very long time.

Having driven from Dungarvan to Dublin this morning, they'll be a Godsend! As will the proposed chargers close to the east of the toll bridge, the 'new' charger at the petrol station owned by the eccentric owner, the revamped charger at Knocktopher and, of course, the Holy Grail, Paulstown...

I wonder how many will actually go live in 2023?

fricatus

Thanks OP, handy to know. It's always been nice just to drive in and park without thinking about payment - I guess the end had to come sooner or later.

Might break out the Leap card again! It stopped getting used when Covid hit.