Liffey valley to start charging for parking

The problem is that “kicking up” seems limited to moaning about it online. If people avoid it, good for them but it’s not a big deal for most people and all the “outrage” appears to be just people who don’t go there anyway and want to complain about another thing

FWIW was there myself earlier for first time in a long while. Place was busy enough. Plenty of parking down by M&S and no hassle getting in or out.

If I was planning to buy something specific, the parking charge would be a minor annoyance. Not the end of the world.

What has changed for me is that I no longer "pop in" if I'm in the area. Previously I would have popped in and bought stuff in M&S/Easons as I was passing. The odd time maybe something in a clothes shop if it caught my eye.

That's what's changed for me anyway. I imagine some stores will be unaffected, but others will suffer.

That's it basically, the just popping by is gone.

I think 15 minutes is a required/standard grace period in car parks to allow for the possibility of them being full, obviously you shouldn't have to pay if you've gone into a car park and it's full so you've to leave again. Handy if like you, you can get in and out within the 15 minutes.

Sounds like a good thing overall then.

Disclaimer: I live within walking distance of Liffey Valley so for the most part the changes don't affect me. If I want to pick up something small I'll just walk/cycle over. If I'm buying something that I can't carry on the bike, then usually that's something I'm buying from somewhere in the retail parks which still have free parking. But generally speaking, I'd prefer the thought of paying 2.50 and being in/out without fuss to the thought of spending an hour stuck in traffic. Kind of like paying the M50 toll rather than doing the big diversion through Chapelizod or Lucan. That said, I can see how it'd be annoying off-peak.

Seems strange about your reg plate, is there anything non-standard that might be causing it?

Out of interest, do you ever go through the M50 toll in your classic car, a Mini was it?

Can a private car park exclude people like yourself who drive a car with perfectly legal (presumably) plates just like that?

I would look into this if I were you. Doesn't sound right or fair to me.

The grace period is lip service only. If you have something on click and collect the very best of luck getting parking, getting into the store, collecting your item and getting out in 15 minutes. Any grace period should take this into account. 30 mins should be the grace period to allow for this.

I was collecting someone from the pictures and 15mins was barely enough as I had to park at the M+S carpark and they had to hike over to me from there.

Of course though that's not the purpose of this grace period. It shouldn't be called a grace period. It should be called the "minimum legal time we have to give you before we start ripping you off period".

Doesn't have the same ring to it though.

And the above just proves to me that this isn't about customer experience.

I have no issue with paying for parking by the way. I have issues with the way this has been implemented and is being enforced.

Lack of signage.

First 30 mins should be free.

Obvious issues at barriers holding traffic up.

No set down / Collection point for cinema goers.

Look the usual suspect will defend this to the ends of earth just to be contrary but it's been a mess from the start.

And of course the trendsetter is Dundrum town center, the first of the major malls to charge for parking. All parking there is high quality and under cover and at a prime retail location. That made and makes their €3 for 3 hours quite palatable. Particularly when Tesco pay you it back if you spend €30 on shopping in there. Unlike Liffey Valley...

That's the point though. Reducing vehicle speeds and the 'flow' makes the walking and cycling experiences somewhat more pleasant

Lol.

We use to go to Liffey valley at least once a month if not a few more times. Haven’t been in a months. Traffic getting in initially stopped us. Paying has also. Shops aren’t great either anymore I find

I wonder did the SC owners lease or sell the car park. If the car park owners have invested millions in it, they will not reduce price. They could be a totally separate entity to the center.

I was in the car park for the first time the other day. Charge for up to 3 hours is €2.50. Evening rate (6pm - 8am I think) is €2.50. This is a reduction on the initial rates right?

Well I see Golden Discs has closed in Liffey Valley so I guess the parking charges can be blamed on that. Just Golden Discs at Tallagh and Blanchardstown now both of which are no use to me.

I thought there was one in the St Stephens Green shopping centre but I guess that one is gone too.

One positive of the parking charge is you can now park there no problem, in the lot outside the main entrance, a decent number of spaces, was next to impossible before, so wouldn't even bother.

Number plate reading is a great thing

Didn't seem any less busy inside but only time will tell.

Golden Discs closed the small shop in Stephens Green centre but opened a new much bigger one. It's pretty much all t-shirts and vinyl though, surprisingly few CDs for sale

Will post if I do

Dundrum is now increasing to 3.30 per hour.

The new bus interchange built in the centre of the car park will have buses stopping in them from this coming Sunday.

With B&Q in major trouble now, shops really need to up their game. Marks delivery service is very poor. They need a click and collect section in the car park, so it can be fast, in and out. Next are on the ball with the next day delivery, they will be fully online in the next few years with very few shops

Closing stores down in the UK. They never moved with the online market.

Well here's a recent article about M&S plans to close stores

I have also noticed that since Brexit, there is continually availability issues in the food section. I wouldn't be at all surprised if they were considering closing their stores in ROI.