Paid parking and privatised traffic wardens
Senator Butler complained that paid parking and privatised traffic wardens were harming rural town centres and questioned whether tickets were being issued illegally. Colleagues interjected that similar problems already existed elsewhere and that privatisation was the root cause.
I wish to raise the issue of paid parking in rural towns, which I have spoken about before. There is unfair competition when it comes to town centres. There are facilities on the outskirts of some towns with free parking and they are being given planning permission. If there is free parking outside the town centre, paid parking in the town centre should be scrapped because it is unfair competition. We have a new situation in my county of Meath whereby traffic wardens have been privatised since 1 February. They are writing tickets like they are going out of fashion, for profit. Is this going to happen in Kells, Trim and the rest of rural Ireland?
Comment on this
The main role of a traffic warden is to keep traffic flowing. To be writing tickets for profit is totally against the Local Authorities (Traffic Wardens) Act 1975.
Comment on this
Are these tickets being written illegally? I want the Minister to come in here in order that we can find out what is going on in respect of paid parking being privatised. Are we going to close down town centres in rural Ireland? It is just not good enough. If it is happening in County Meath it is going to happen all over rural Ireland.
