Recession fails to dampen Dublin city’s car clamping

IT seems at least one profession is recession-proof: the number of cars clamped in Dublin city this year is likely to match the figure for 2008.

Figures released by Dublin City Council show that to the end of November 56,594 vehicles had been clamped in the city, compared with 59,328 vehicles clamped in the whole of 2008.

A spokesman for the local authority said: “We expect about the same number of vehicles will be clamped this year as last year.”

Likewise, the revenue raised through the clamping of vehicles within the city boundaries has stayed at 2008 levels, but is still not enough to cover the cost of patrols.

Income for clamp release fees to end of November 2009 was €4.47 million, which the local authority spokesman said contributes towards the cost of running the parking enforcement service, “which is way and above the income generated”.

As for the areas which are hell for motorists and gold for clampers, the top 10 are:

* Noel Purcell Walk.

* Shelbourne Road.

* Wellington Quay.

* Parnell Street.

* Ranelagh.

* Jervis Street.

* Clarendon Street.

* Camden Row.

* Smithfield.

* The South Circular Road.

In 2008 the Shelbourne Road area in Ballsbridge was the most lucrative, bringing in €70,080 from the 876 cars clamped there. A similar number were clamped in the Dublin 4 road this year.

Dublin Street Parking Services (DSPS) operates car clamping across the capital but the city council has said it does not want to reveal details of the contract terms as it is commercially sensitive.

Motorists who fall foul of parking violations in Dublin must pay an €80 release fee.

The cost of paying for the clamping patrols is likely to eat up a greater proportion of the local authority’s overall budget, however, as earlier this year Dublin City Council revealed that it had made €14,748,046 by the end of July, down from the comparative figure last year.