City traders up in arms over new parking charges on Sundays

Retailers want the new Scrooge Sunday parking charge regime reversed.

City businesses have reacted frostily to the introduction of car parking charges on Sundays – they fear the new tax could drive shoppers away from Galway.

The ruling pact of elected members on Galway City Council (Fine Gael, Labour and five Independents) pushed through the Sunday parking proposal without debate on Monday.

The measure, which came out of the blue, will result in €4 charges at Council-owned car parks, as well as charges for on-street parking on Sundays with effect from January. The move comes as county towns introduce free parking to attract more customers.

Charging for parking on a Sunday – traditionally a day reserved for free parking – will generate €170,000 additional income, according to the City Council budget.

Galway City Business Association, the organisation charged with increasing footfall in the city centre, may seek a reversal of the decision. “We are concerned that this will have a negative impact on our members, and reduce footfall on Sundays and we are concerned with the lack of consultation about this – we hadn’t been told about this,” said Cormac McGuckian, chairman of GCBA.

Anthony Ryan, owner of the family-run flagship fashion store on Shop Street, said the measure was “crazy”.

“Parking charges in Galway are already excessively high in my opinion. It is a real disincentive for people to come to the city and anything that encourages less people to visit Galway to shop is not good for business,” said Mr Ryan, a member of GCBA.

Mr Ryan pointed out that city businesses had agreed to the extension of the 3% commercial rates to fund the Galway 2020 European Capital of Culture bid. “You can’t keep putting obstacles in the way of business,” said Mr Ryan.

Fianna Fáil opposed the new tax on shoppers but their alternative of bringing in parking enforcement on Sundays was shot down.

For more, read this week’s Galway City Tribune