Galway City Council has vowed to sort out the shambolic car-parking situation across town.
Purpose-made hoods ordered to cover-up obsolete parking machines have been delayed in transit, while officials admitted to councillors last week that temporary signs cable-tied to machines giving remote payment instructions were “unsatisfactory”.
Up to two thirds of machines have been out of action during certain periods, while most no-longer accept card or coins due to an ongoing legal challenge.
Up-to-date figures are not yet ready, but the local authority is down at least €60,000 this year because of parking payment issues, councillors heard at their monthly meeting this week.
“Parking is a shambles!” thundered Councillor Frank Fahy (FG ). “Tourists do not understand how to pay for parking in this city, and why would – say – visiting South American tourists download an app to park in our ‘little village’?” he asked.
Councillors Helen Ogbu (Lab ) and Declan McDonnell (Ind ) pointed out that signage within City Hall explaining paying for out-of-hours car parking was unclear on College Road, with the insinuation that if officials can not get it right at their own HQ, the wider city was in trouble.
Councillor John McDonagh (Lab ) echoed Fahy’s description of parking in Galway as “a shambles” to murmurs of agreement across the chamber, and revealed that he received at least one call about it from constituents each week.
In response, city manager Leonard Cleary admitted the city’s parking chaos was “very frustrating” for councillors and customers. He said officials will launch a detailed marketing plan soon on how to pay for parking by phone, app or in Payzone shops, and that new signage was ordered.
