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Niall Cremin has suggested offering 30 minutes free parking in the Lower Library car park in Fermoy as part of modifications to the existing pay parking structure. Photo: Eoin Scanlon

Creating a constructive debate among businesses, councillors, shoppers and residents in the town over the last few months, the issue of pay parking in Fermoy continues to roll on.

In light of comments made last week by former Fermoy Town Council mayor Olive Corcoran, that pay parking is ‘destroying’ the centre of the town, former chairperson of Fermoy Credit Union, Niall Cremin has argued against this opinion.

While the argument made by Ms Corcoran is ‘interesting and populist’, he said, he contends that it is fallacious, and that the introduction of free parking would have 'the opposite effect to that which Ms Corcoran believes’.

“The purpose of charges for parking are twofold,” Mr Cremin told The Avondhu this week.

“Firstly they are a source of revenue for the authority that levies them, although in the case of Fermoy, both the level of charges and the apparent inadequate enforcement, would suggest that this is not significant.

“Secondly they are a key element in a proper parking management strategy, being designed to encourage turnover in spaces thus facilitating more users per space per day.”

While not touted in debate at council level – which has focused on a two-hour free parking limit for on-street – Mr Cremin said the implementation of free parking at all times would only result in a first-come, first-served scenario. As he said, this is evident at Christmas time when Fermoy’s car parks are opened completely free for four weeks.

“Proponents of free parking will say that this will not happen, yet the provision of free parking in the off-street parking at Christmas time is a clear illustration of the fact that it will.

“At this time anyone who is in the car parks early in the morning will see employees and owners of businesses in town parking as close as possible to the centre. The most attractive spaces fill early and remain full all day. Is this the way to encourage footfall for the shops and businesses in town?,” he asks.

Furthermore, another current issue with the parking strategy in Fermoy Mr Cremin contends, is the fact that enforcement of the regulations is not adequate.

He stated that some employees or business owners ‘appear to be able to park outside or adjacent to their premises with impunity all day without displaying any evidence of payment’.

As an alternative to the proposals made by the Fermoy Business Action Group and others for two-hours free parking to be introduced, Mr Cremin suggested a more ‘imaginative charging structure’ to encourage more people to shop in Fermoy and ‘facilitate them in the best manner’.

This would offer 20 minutes free on-street parking, and €1 per hour thereafter to a maximum of two hours.

For close-in off-street spaces – the Lower Library car park, the southern part of the Mart car park, the nearest spaces in the Mill Island car park  and further-out on-street spaces, he suggested the first 30 minutes be free, then €1 for the next hour and €2 per hour thereafter.

Mr Cremin has called for more remote off-street car parks, which would charge the current rate for car parks in the town. Weekly, monthly and annual tickets at discounted rates could be offered on the basis of pre-payment.

“These are only suggested tariffs, but I believe a properly devised and enforced car parking management system, including an attractive regime of charges, will continue to provide a satisfactory revenue stream in addition to providing an environment that facilitates visitors, shoppers and workers alike.

“To remove charges will only facilitate one group and would totally remove any revenue stream that currently exists,” added Mr Cremin.

This week Cork County Council adopted its new Parking Control Bye-Laws, which Cllr Frank O’Flynn said would allow each Municipal District in Cork to modify or change existing bye-laws.

The deputy major of the council is a proponent of the two-hour free proposal, and stated his hope that a decision of the issue will be made soon.

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