Parking wars: Limerick

Mc Love

Just saw there that LCC are outsourcing the job of traffic wardens!

http://www.limerickleader.ie/news/local/limerick_city_council_to_out_source_parking_enforcement_1_3008349?utm_medium=twitter&utm_source=twitterfeed

LIMERICK City Council has confirmed that the traffic warden service in the city is to be privatised.

City council official Rory McDermott has confirmed that negotiations with four companies are ongoing regarding privatisation of the service, which is set for January of next year, depending on the length of the tender process.

“There is an embargo on local government recruitment, so we have gone to tender on outsourcing that work,” he confirmed. “We have gone through that process and four companies have been identified, the next stage is to issue a tender document to them and we are expecting those to go out in September, with the contract awarded in November and mobilisation and commissioning in January.”

Limerick city currently has just four traffic wardens, down from 10 in the last five years, and Mr McDermott said: “We desperately need traffic wardens, but the only resource we have to secure them is through this process because of the embargo on staff recruitment”.

Mr McDermott said it would be a “fixed price” contract, meaning the successful company that wins the contract would not be paid by the amount of tickets given out to the public.

Angry delivery men say that motorists are parking illegally in loading bays in the city, making it impossible for them to do their job, and welcomed news that the service would be privatised.

“The situation is crazy when you can’t deliver goods, but everyone knows there are no wardens and are getting away with parking illegally,” said one.

Just as well, because when I was in town today, there were some many people parked on double yellows it was unreal. Upper Thomas st, cars were forced into one lane as loads had parked on double yellows and it was the same on Anne st outside Thomas St car park! So many obnoxious parkers!

Iwannahurl

Maybe this will catch on elsewhere? Though I am aware that clamping contracts were unpopular and expensive in other cities...

Let's hope there's a value-for-money clause somewhere in the contract.

munstergirl

Could it be people are parked for a min or two, to pop in and get takeaway, collect something in shop etc.

Quite impossible to park anywhere for min or two as every street seems to be taxi rank.

Saw delivery trucks the other day use bus stop in william st as no where to park due to taxi rank.

Extra traffic wardens may be good for jobs + drivers, but won't help retail in city centre.

Mc Love

munstergirl wrote: »

Could it be people are parked for a min or two, to pop in and get takeaway, collect something in shop etc.

Quite impossible to park anywhere for min or two as every street seems to be taxi rank.

Saw delivery trucks the other day use bus stop in william st as no where to park due to taxi rank.

Extra traffic wardens may be good for jobs + drivers, but won't help retail in city centre.

If people want to park in the city centre, they should pay for parking the same as the rest of us!

jonski

Mc Love wrote: »

If people want to park in the city centre, they should pay for parking the same as the rest of us!

Agreed..........except , what if you just need to run in somewhere for 5 minutes ?

PseudoFamous

jonski wrote: »

Agreed..........except , what if you just need to run in somewhere for 5 minutes ?

Put a brick on the accelerator and tie the steering wheel into a firm left. Car will be where you put it (Give or take) and no traffic warden will be able to leave a fine on your windscreen or clamp a wheel.

tfitzgerald

I think that this is just another reason for people to stay out of the centre these people won't stop until they have ruined Limerick completely

phog

On the subject of parking, I think the city council should reduce the hours where discs are required i.e. start time at say 10 or 10:30 as opposed to 09:30 or do it in the evening from 16:30. This would give people a chance to park for about an hour in the city centre and do a quick shop and pick-up hwere necessary.

thesimpsons

phog wrote: »

On the subject of parking, I think the city council should reduce the hours where discs are required i.e. start time at say 10 or 10:30 as opposed to 09:30 or do it in the evening from 16:30. This would give people a chance to park for about an hour in the city centre and do a quick shop and pick-up hwere necessary.

+1

also, not sure I'd agree with privatisation of the service cos, while theres no doubt they'll have no mercy for illegal parking, I think it'll add to the reasons why some people won't come into the city. If current wardens would just enforce the rules and ticket all those gombeens who park on with flashing lights on - no one just runs into a shop for 5 minutes, it'll be 10 - 15 more likely. Can't you get 15minute parking with the Parkmagic thing ?

Poxyshamrock

Hope Seamus Butler Butchers get what's coming to em so and realise that just because you own a shop doesn't mean you can park your van in the middle of the road.

Iwannahurl

jonski wrote: »

Agreed..........except , what if you just need to run in somewhere for 5 minutes ?

Then run, don't drive.

Uncontrolled parking causes traffic congestion, which in turn deters people from entering city centre areas.

Reduce parking, control it in a manner that reduces congestion and cruising for parking spaces, and maximise footfall by expanding car-free zones: that's the recipe for boosting commerce and the city centre experience, IMO.

tfitzgerald

Reduce parking, control it in a manner that reduces congestion and cruising for parking spaces, and maximise footfall by expanding car-free zones: that's the recipe for boosting commerce and the city centre experience, IMO.

People don't want to have to walk carrying shopping everywhere in Limerick is now either a taxi rank or a loading bay so people have to walk a fair distance with there shopping that's grand if we had cheap parking in the city car parks we don't also we don't have the weather for strolling around

Berty

Bollocks to the council. They know they can earn more money from illegal parking but cannot hire more staff so they are outsourcing the staff. Essentially they will earn less from a ticket but earn more in the long run because more tickets will be given out.

We all know that outfits like this, take clampers for example, are ruthless and have no respect for the public.

This will not end well. I see clamping coming our way as well if this goes ahead.

tfitzgerald

Beer Baron wrote: »

Bollocks to the council. They know they can earn more money from illegal parking but cannot hire more staff so they are outsourcing the staff. Essentially they will earn less from a ticket but earn more in the long run because more tickets will be given out.

We all know that outfits like this, take clampers for example, are ruthless and have no respect for the public.

This will not end well. I see clamping coming our way as well if this goes ahead.

this is what i wanted to say well done beer baron

angeldaisy

I don't come into town very much these days, but one thing I have noticed is that since they changed all the parking zones to 2 hours instead of the 4hour zones on the outskirts, it is a nightmare trying to get anywhere to park in the city centre. thankfully I'm able to park and walk, but what about those who can't??

Berty

angeldaisy wrote: »

I don't come into town very much these days, but one thing I have noticed is that since they changed all the parking zones to 2 hours instead of the 4hour zones on the outskirts, it is a nightmare trying to get anywhere to park in the city centre. thankfully I'm able to park and walk, but what about those who can't??

Those who can't park on the Ennis road where parking is free.

source

I don't think I've ever seen 4 hour parking where was that? The most I've ever seen is 2 hour parking.

Beer Baron, While you have a point, I would say that parking needs to be regulated. We've seen already what lack of enforcement does in the city in terms of parking. Also the council have already been quite vocal on the point of clamping, they are against it and I do not see them introducing it to Limerick.

Traffic wardens are a necessary evil, In my opinion we should have pay and display machines around which will ensure the 2 hour limit is adhered to. The current system of discs which are not widely available is idiotic. With a system like this it would require less traffic wardens.

The problem is implementing such a system would be costly so we outsource. Another idea I have is to pass a local by-law that would allow the towing of any vehicle parked in loading bays and disabled bays that do not qualify to be there. Currently vehicles can be towed if they're causing an obstruction so it's not too far fetched an idea.

kiersm

I understand that parking needs to be regulated but I have to agree with Beer Baron I can see them bringing in clampers as it will make them money in the long run.

I do think that it will kill any chance that the city centre had of revival. Why come into town if getting parking is a problem & if you don't use your disc properly etc that ur going to get a ticket. I know I'll be much more inclined to go to the Crescent where its easier to get parking and I won't have to pay for my parking either

Mc Love

I dont understand people that say they cant find parking! There are loads of spaces available in the multistoreys and they arent that far from anywhere in the city center!

Of course you could be lucky and find a space on the street but to say its impossible to park in the city is a joke! Just pay the 1.80 for 10, 15, 60 mins whatever just as long as you are not blocking someone else that is trying to make their way around the city or make their way home!

source

kiersm wrote: »

I understand that parking needs to be regulated but I have to agree with Beer Baron I can see them bringing in clampers as it will make them money in the long run.

http://www.limerickleader.ie/news/local/limerick_city_council_is_to_consider_ban_on_clamping_cars_1_2193073

Limerick City Council is to consider ban on clamping cars


Published on Tuesday 28 September 2010 17:54

CITY manager Tom Mackey is to examine the possibility of introducing by-laws banning the clamping of vehicles anywhere within the city limits.

Although Limerick City Council does not clamp vehicles illegally parked on public streets, the operators of a number of privately-owned car parks in the city do – charging motorists up to €120 to have their vehicle declamped.

The issue of clamping has come to a head in recent months following the decision of the Market Trustees to engage the services of a clamping firm to enforce parking regulations at the Potato Market.

A number of motorists have complained about the conduct of the clamping firm and gardai have been called to themarket on a number of occasions.

On Monday, the board of the Market Trustees voted to suspend clamping for a month to allow for other enforcement methods to be examined.

Cllr Kevin Kiely, who proposed the suspension, said: "Clampers should be run out of our city. They are of no commercial benefit to the city and they are doing nothing but causing misery."

At the monthly meeting of Limerick City Council, Cllr John Gilligan supported the decision.

"I believe clamping is a form of anti-social behaviour and these people are doing it on a wing and a prayer," he said.

Cllr Kieran O'Hanlon said he, too, was opposed to clamping and cited an incident in Clare Street on St Patrick's Day when a woman was forced to wait for more than two hours after her car was clamped while she attended the St Patrick's celebrations.

Director of Service Pat Dromey told Cllr O'Hanlon he would investigate that incident and the local authority would be "pointing out" to the private landlord where the council's property ends and where his starts.

Taking on board the views of councillors, the city manager said he would examine the legality of introducing bylaws banning clamping within the City Council's administrative area.

Doesn't really sound like an organisation interested in bringing in clamping to make them money.

phog

source wrote: »

I don't think I've ever seen 4 hour parking where was that? The most I've ever seen is 2 hour parking.

There used to be 4 hour parking out at the limits of the disc parking zones, I think St. John's Sq used to have 4hr parking at one stage. Clancy and O'Callaghan Strand certainly had it up the most recent changes.

jonski

Mc Love wrote: »

I dont understand people that say they cant find parking! There are loads of spaces available in the multistoreys and they arent that far from anywhere in the city center!

I assume that the people saying this are talking about short term parking but it seems to be a discussion that is completely dismissed . I can understand this because it is impossible to find a solution and it is suited more to a thread about business in Limerick than parking and traffic .
I literally cannot remember the last time I found it hard to find parking in or around the city ( except around Christmas in the good olde celtic tiger era ) , but if I need to grab a cake , or buy a game or anytime when I know exactly what I want then it is unrealistic to expect me to drive into a multi-storey , park , walk to the specific shop then come back and pay €1.60/1.80 and drive out again when I can park free and easily in any of the shopping centres .

Berty

^^ which is why Qpark in Harveys Quay introducted the 75c for 15 minutes parking rate.

Xennon

The present parking conditions in Limerick are due to bullsh1t planning, not due to people parking illegally. People park illegally as a direct result of the lack of facilities.

Some muppet in an office thinks that taxi ranks (those who seem to have their very own set of rules of the road btw), and bus lanes (again seem impervious to rules of the road) is the way forward for a small town (lets face it). People don't bother coming into the city center anymore because its a bitch to get parking, then they wonder why there are so many shops closing or moving to shopping centers.

Stop creating inconsiderate rules and then reprimanding people for breaking them. People are not robots and should be allowed some leeway in their own town.

Planners should cop on, people don't want public transport if they can at all afford it, thats the way it is, so get over it.

/rant

source

Xennon wrote: »

Planners should cop on, people don't want public transport if they can at all afford it, thats the way it is, so get over it.

/rant

If public transport was affordable then maybe people would want to use it, but €1.60 to get on a bus whether it's for 1 stop or 10 is stupid.

I got the bus into town with the missus last year, for the two of us to go in and out of town on the bus cost €6.40. That was only from O'Connell Avenue into Brown Thomas and back.

We were in town for 2 hours, if I'd driven the 3 minutes drive from the house to town, and parked in a multi story it would have cost me half as much.

If we had a reliable public transport system that didn't cost too much I'd get the bus a lot more often.

Mc Love

Xennon wrote: »

The present parking conditions in Limerick are due to bullsh1t planning, not due to people parking illegally. People park illegally as a direct result of the lack of facilities.
/rant

What facilities??

I think all multistorey parking garages should have at least a 2 hour or if thats too much a 1 hour free parking.

It would bring more people into the city.

A place it works is in Swords although the parking garage is attached to a shopping center, I and many others have used it for nipping into Swords town center instead of driving around to find a parking space.

Red Silurian

Mc Love wrote: »

What facilities??

I think all multistorey parking garages should have at least a 2 hour or if thats too much a 1 hour free parking.

It would bring more people into the city.

A place it works is in Swords although the parking garage is attached to a shopping center, I and many others have used it for nipping into Swords town center instead of driving around to find a parking space.

Saturday mornings it's €1/hour €3/dailymax for the euro car parks opposite the grannary... Something, but only one day of the week

Iwannahurl

Beer Baron wrote: »

Bollocks to the council. They know they can earn more money from illegal parking but cannot hire more staff so they are outsourcing the staff. Essentially they will earn less from a ticket but earn more in the long run because more tickets will be given out.

We all know that outfits like this, take clampers for example, are ruthless and have no respect for the public.

This will not end well. I see clamping coming our way as well if this goes ahead.

What's the evidence that any local authority can "earn more money" from parking penalties such as clamping?

http://www.galwaynews.ie/9368-clamping-cost-council-almost-%E2%82%AC2m

Clampers are ruthless and have no respect for the motorists they catch in flagrante. Obnoxious parkers have no respect for the public, only their own convenience. But they have no choice but to "respect" the clamp and pay up when their car is immobilised. That's why clamping is such an effective deterrent.

I don't necessarily think clamping is the best approach, BTW. "Performance pricing" for on-street parking spaces is a better strategy, as proposed by Prof Donald Shoup.

Skintwin

Beer Baron wrote: »

Bollocks to the council. They know they can earn more money from illegal parking but cannot hire more staff so they are outsourcing the staff. Essentially they will earn less from a ticket but earn more in the long run because more tickets will be given out.

We all know that outfits like this, take clampers for example, are ruthless and have no respect for the public.

This will not end well. I see clamping coming our way as well if this goes ahead.

In saying that, I was told yesterday how to get out of a clamp without damaging it (that's what they get bad over)

langdang

Mc Love wrote: »

I dont understand people that say they cant find parking! There are loads of spaces available in the multistoreys and they arent that far from anywhere in the city center!

Of course you could be lucky and find a space on the street but to say its impossible to park in the city is a joke! Just pay the 1.80 for 10, 15, 60 mins whatever just as long as you are not blocking someone else that is trying to make their way around the city or make their way home!

I agree. I have to say, I hate going into the city because I feel like a DOPE for paying for parking. Anytime I go into town all the €free€ spots are taken - double yellows, single yellow lines, footpaths and entrances.

Iwannahurl

langdang wrote: »

I agree. I have to say, I hate going into the city because I feel like a DOPE for paying for parking. Anytime I go into town all the €free€ spots are taken - double yellows, single yellow lines, footpaths and entrances.

Spot on.