Controversial park-and-ride charges at nine commuter train stations come into effect from tomorrow.
Dublin bound rail travellers on the northern line from Dundalk to Portmarnock will be hit with the two euro a day fee.
The other 28 stations from Longford to Gorey also planning to charge will be operational by November.
The plan, which transport body CIE said would finance a car-park expansion scheme, was heavily criticised when it was announced in July with transport lobby groups branding it unacceptable.
Mark Gleeson, spokesman for Rail Users Ireland, said: “It’s absolutely ridiculous.
“People are going to arrive in the car park tomorrow morning and they are going to be faced with a pay and display machine.
“It’s bad enough that you have to pay for your ticket but now you have to queue to use a pay and display machine.
“The worst thing of all is that you elect to be cost aware and buy a weekly ticket, but there’s no guarantee there’s going to be a car space for you every day.”
CIE will receive a €1 million euro-a-year slice of the revenue generated from the parking fees with commuters charged two euro a day or a discounted rate of €8 a week.
The body said the revenue would be put towards a major programme of car park expansion by Iarnrod Eireann.
But Mr Gleeson hit out the justification claiming the organisation has not detailed which stations will be upgraded.
“Irish rail have presented no list of what car parks will be upgraded or in what order and what it will comprise. It’s all aspirational,” he said.
Rail Users Ireland said it is considering taking legal action against CIE over the scheme although it is not clear on what that will be based.
Fine Gael’s Transport spokesman Fergus O’Dowd branded the charges a rip-off and has called for a cut in government subsidies to CIE.
“While I have no problem charging people who park at railway stations infrequently, it is extremely unfair on those who have already bought weekly, monthly or annual travel tickets for their commute, so they should be exempt from the charge,” he said.
“Many commuters either walk or cycle to their local station, but this is not always possible and many have no alternative but to park and ride as there are very few bus links to railway stations.
“There has been no public consultation on this new system, which will hit commuters who are already finding their take home pay reduced because of the spiralling cost of living.”
The stations where pay parking will be introduced tomorrow are: Dundalk, Drogheda, Laytown, Balbriggan, Skerries, Rush & Lusk, Donabate, Malahide and Portmarnock on the northern line.
An Iarnrod Eireann spokesman said the remaining stations will come into effect by November.
PA