City plans to extend disc parking zone
Plans to extend controls to more than 150 suburban streets, mostly in Bishopstown, Wilton, Glasheen and Blackpool, have been agreed by the city's roads committee. The proposals, costing up to E250,000, will be discussed at next Monday's council meeting and are likely to be passed.
The move is also likely to boost council coffers through parking fines. The sale of E1.80 parking discs generated almost E3.5m for the city last year. The final phase of the last DPZ extension, which increased the zone by 60% at a cost of E600,000, is almost complete.
The council defended the latest proposals saying they are necessary because of increased parking pressures around Cork University Hospital and Blackpool Shopping Centre.
"People are parking on the edge of the DPZ and walking into town. Residential estates are under pressure," a council spokesman said.
If the proposals are passed next Monday, a process of consultation will begin.
The council also defended the cost of parking. "The North Main Street car park is E1.50 an hour," he said.
"People haven't made the mental shift to public transport yet either. We have a green bus route on the No 8 from Bishopstown and all buses on that route are running on time."
He said council studies showed the average speed of buses in the city is 20km an hour cars do an average of 8km.
He encouraged people to make the switch to public transport or to use the Black Ash park-and-ride service.
"If people don't make the transfer to other forms of transport, and if parking spaces come under pressure again, we'll have to put on the controls. We may even have to go out as far as the city boundary," he warned.
Cllr Jerry Buttimer welcomed the extension proposals but called for consultation with residents.
People living within the DPZ can apply for a maximum of four residential parking permits per household, provided they live at the address. It costs E10 a year per permit.
The 900-space Black Ash park-and-ride site caters for between 400 and 500 cars every day. Turnover can be as high as E1,400.
Meanwhile, plans for a 700-space park and ride site at Banduff, Mayfield have been finalised.
