Sinn Féin candidates call for parking charges to be re examined in Kilkenny

Sinn Féin candidates Evan Barry and Mark O’Farrell met with High Street business owners, hairdressers and other proprietors last Friday to discuss the impact of the recently increased parking charges and traffic around Kilkenny City centre.

“Business owners and regular shoppers have brought to our attention that the new parking charges are discouraging them from going into Kilkenny City at all”, said Evan Barry.

“Previously people had a 15-minute grace period for on-street parking, and since that has been removed altogether, many business owners and shoppers have received parking tickets before even having the time to get change and pay for a parking
ticket.

“While traffic has improved somewhat in the city centre, this has come at the cost of footfall into the shops, and every business owner we’ve spoken to has seen a dramatic decline in revenue as a result.

“Take the carpark opposite St Mary’s Cathedral as an example. Before, it used to be €1.30 an hour, with the first hour totally free. This allowed people to pop in, park up and do a quick shop in the Market Cross or around High Street. People could get
their hair cut, grab a quick coffee with friends, or grab some some groceries before picking up their children from school.

“Now this same car park only allows 15 minutes free parking, and each 15 minutes thereafter costs 50 cents. This all adds up, especially during a cost-of-living crisis and this is money that hard pressed families are now not able to spend in our cafés,
hairdressers and shops.”

“Without footfall and folks coming in, these shops and businesses who pay rates may be forced to shut their doors. This will see Kilkenny City centre losing its vibrancy and charm.

Sinn Féin Cllr Denis Hynes for Castlecomer Municipal District tried to bring a motion before Kilkenny County Council this week to review parking charges across the city, with a view to lowering them to reasonable, affordable levels. However this motion
was declined on the basis that parking charges for Kilkenny City centre are reserved for the Kilkenny Municipal District, which Sinn Féin does not currently have any county councillors elected to.

“I am of the view that these measures were imposed with little real consultation with the business community” continued Evan Barry.

“These increased parking charges and traffic changes were brought in by the council in a top-down approach, with little consideration for the needs of the whole community.

“Sinn Féin are advocating for a bottom-up approach that takes the needs of businesses, local residents and shoppers into consideration. We want to have a holistic look at the system, see what changes are working, and which should be reversed.

“If elected to Kilkenny City Municipal District, Sinn Féin will put forward a motion to re examine the parking charges!”