A farewell to private parking wardens

Kilkenny could soon be free of the controversial private-company parking wardens patrolling the streets in recent times.

Senior engineer Kieran Fitzgerald has said that the council’s own staff may be back to full strength within three months. The council had contracted Apcoa to regulate city centre parking due to the public sector recruitment embargo.

But some local traders and shoppers had complained that the new wardens were too strict, and there were fears the regime would deter people from coming into the city centre. Several borough councillors had also asked that the two warden jobs be given to local people. They said the borough council’s own wardens showed more understanding to motorists, and had a rapport with people.