Tipperary Council say parking charges do not apply on Good Friday, but statistics I obtained under Freedom of Information show people in the premier county paid over €1,100 in parking fees on Good Friday 2021.
I have obtained, under Freedom of Information, statistics for Good Friday parking fees paid in Tipperary going back to 2018: The figures show the following fees were paid:
2018 around E6,000 euro
2019 just under E5,000
2020 seemingly kiboshed by Covid, around E114 euro .
2021 Just over E1,100 euro.
In Clonmel on Good Friday 2018 people parking in Clonmel paid E3,879.70 . Thurles folk dug deep to the tune of E565.60 and Roscrea was E202.50. In Templemore the money paid to park was E134.80 and in Nenagh E934.50. At the other end of the County in Carrick-on- Suir the meters were sweetened with E427.10.
In Tipperary Town a mere three euro was paid and In Cashel shoppers paid E12.30 . Tipp Town and Cashel relate to e parking and the Council say “The software in the machines in Cashel and Tipp Town cannot isolate this information on a daily basis”
I asked the Council if they would put notices on the meters in 2019 to say no charges apply. They said “As stated in the Bye Laws, Good Friday is considered a “Holiday”, a holiday is not charged for. The Parking Bye Laws for each District have been in place for many years and are understood by the public and are readily available on the Council Website.”
I made a further Freedom of Information Request for the figures for Good Friday 2019.
I learnt that in Clonmel on Good Friday 2019 people paid E2,583.30 in parking fees while Cashel/Tipperary Town was E273.39.The Council say: “ Figures for Tipperary Town and Cashel are eparking figures only. Backoffice system does not give totals for pay parking”
In Thurles E591.50 was spent on parking fees and in Roscrea E38.80 was the sum. Templemore parkers were hit for E89.70 and motorists in Nenagh paid E903.04 while drivers in Carrick on Suir stumped up E438.30
A further FOI request told me Covid seems to have put the kibosh on 2020. Clonmel car owners paid E37.70, Cahir was just E1.50, Thurles made E18.40. Drivers in Roscrea paid E14.70 to park while drivers in Templemore paid E14.00. Nenagh motorists pulled E19.25 from their pockets and purses. People in Carrick on Suir paid E8.70
My latest FOI request says In 2021 the meters made somewhat of a comeback with Clonmel guzzling E662.70 and Cahir meters taking in E56.30, The Council say Cashel and Tipp Town have no records as “machines do not have back office”
Thurles parking meters made E105.90 in parking fees. People paid E25.50 to park in Roscrea and in Templemore E6.70 was the sum, while Nenagh took in E223.60 .And drivers in Carrick on Suir paid E64.00.
If everyone understands the parking bylaws for each district as claimed by the council why do they pay these fees on Good Friday?
