City council rules out imposing paid parking

DUBLIN CITY residents who do not seek to have permit parking introduced to their streets will not have it forced upon them, the city council has said.

The reassurance follows concern by city councillors and residents about a report by the council’s traffic department which referred to the elimination of free parking the city centre.

The report stated: “All free on-street parking both within the canals and in adjacent areas will be eliminated through the imposition of appropriate parking controls including disc parking.”

Currently residents can chose whether their street would be subject to disc parking permits through a local vote, if the council’s traffic department agreed that their street would be suitable for permit parking.

Tim O’Sullivan, executive manager of the traffic department, told councillors yesterday it was the council’s policy to discourage commuter parking and the residents’ permit parking had been “hugely successful”.

Labour councillor Dermot Lacey said he wanted clarification that residents in local communities would not have paid parking imposed upon them. Mr O’Sullivan said it would only be imposed in residential areas if it was sought by the residents.

Referring to confusion about “adjacent” areas mentioned, Mr O’Sullivan said it was Ballsbridge.