The controversy surrounding Youghal Town Council’s draft proposals to introduce new parking bye-laws moved to the Walter Raleigh hotel on Monday (January 18th 2010) when about 200 traders and service providers held a protest meeting against the plans. In a separate discussion, the meeting also considered the renewed proposals to close the Mall Lane.
By Christy Parker | Photo: Michael Hussey – youghalonline.com
The event was organised by the Youghal Chamber of Commerce and hosted by a top table that included Eddie Irwin (President), John Flavin (Vice President), Diarmuid Keogh (Secretary, Seamus Curran (Director), Michael Farrell (Director) and Eileen Quill (Director)

The attendance was further displeased that only Town and County Councillor Barbara Murray (FG) accepted the invitation to attend. “Its funny how they all had something else to do tonight,” remarked one woman, dryly. Apologies were acknowledged from Cllrs Sandra McLellan (Mayor), Hennessy, Revins, Linehan Foley, Coyne and Daly. It is understood Cllrs McLellan and Hennessy were attending a funeral.

The proposed car park charges dominated proceedings. The angry attendance claimed the imposition of a 50c fee for the first three hours, plus 50c ph thereafter, across all car parks, including both beaches would cost jobs. There was similar dismissal for the alternative €5 weekly permit for all car parks, while an increase on street parking charges from 80c to €1 and a €20 per day fee on builders vehicles was further criticised.

Town Clerk Liam Ryan says the new laws are designed to help traffic flow and free up car park spaces, resulting in increased revenue for businesses. He has stressed that they are “only draft proposals.” They are currently open for public submissions, having been agreed by a 5-2 council majority on which Cllrs. McLellan, Beecher, Hennessy, Daly and Coyne voted in favour and Cllrs Revins and Linehan Foley opposed, with Cllrs Murray and Burke not present.

Space shortages

Introducing the discussion, Mr. Farrell said a Chamber of Commerce funded survey had revealed a current shortfall of 465 car spaces in Youghal. To that effect, the business community concurred with the council’s view that traffic flow and car parks spaces need to be improved upon. It also agrees that the problem is exacerbated bith by residential parking on the main street and employees using car parks throughout the day.

However, the Chamber and its affiliates do not believe that “ludicrous,” paid parking schemes are the solution. That road, so to speak, leads to “a 20% reduction in turnover” and perhaps hundreds of job losses, Mr. Farrell claimed.

While fees are levied in Dungarvan’s council car parks, it is their absence in Midleton from which Youghal traders draw comparison, fearing the car park charges will send consumers up the N25. Furthermore, it is argued, the Strand would lose out to such as Ardmore and Garryvoe.

By way of combating this apocalypse, Mr Farrell’s opening address urged all present –and beyond- not merely to make written submissions to the council but also to “make your thoughts known to” each and every councillor. It was a message he repeated throughout. He also complained that traders were not consulted prior to the draft proposal being devised and that Chamber submissions on previous occasion seemed to go unread. Not a man to shy from self-expression, he added, “Sometimes it’s like having a bunch of imbeciles running our town.”

Caustic

Hell hath no fury like a retailer enraged and the input from the floor was no less caustic against the council. A summary of the views expressed would include the following:

* ‘I’ve opened a business and taken two people off the dole. We’ve lost al our factories and must remarket ourselves but paid parking will be a final nail in the coffin instead.’

* ‘Its disgraceful that the 1-2pm free parking is not advertised properly.’

* ‘For 27 years I’ve worked and shopped in Youghal. Why should I pay more? €5 a week is €250 a year and no doubt it will increase in time. Its disgusting.’

* ‘The town is on its knees but the councillors seemed resigned to paid car parks. We protested before this time we should march on the streets.’

* ‘People will turn off at Castlemartyr for Garryvoe if we have beach car park charges. We should gather outside the town hall for the next council meeting.’

* ‘We must fight for free car parks with no limitations. The council says its short of money but they got a windfall since last October from the ‘second home’ taxes.’

* ‘We won’t pay it. That’s the answer. End of story’

* ‘Seems the council don’t want to speculate before it accumulates.’

* ‘I have to walk to the car park after work. Its dark and I don’t feel safe.’

* ‘If the councillors had businesses on the main street would they feel the same?! My parents come to visit from out of town. Are they expected to pay for that now?’

* ‘Employees keep the town going and are entitled to free car parks.’

* ‘Is disgraceful. I will approach every councillor.’

* ‘These days, how can council employees have so many jeeps and SUV’s?’

* ‘The anticipated maintenance fees for car parks for this year is €150,000, or €3,000 per week. Yet there’s no signs or lining. Where’s it all going?’

* ‘What value for money are we going to get? Ardmore beach has toilets and a playground. Our children have to go to the toilet in the water! If there was a toilet in the strand they could make money.’

* ‘Cobh rescinded paid car parks. Midleton has so far avoided it.’

* ‘Getting bang for your buck is very important. We aren’t getting that. Am people who need a van for their work supposed to park it away from their businesses?’

* ‘The council have an obligation to make these proposal documents easily available. Yet they want €3 for a copy in the town hall. It should be on the internet.’

* ‘The public are very aware and have asked to sign our petition.’

(There was a brief diversion when the discussion veered, no less angrily, onto the alleged €181,000 per year sent on provision and maintenance of automatic toilets and associated issues. Tree cutting, faulty and unfinished footpaths also got a short airing.)

Balance books

The flurries were largely fielded by Mr. Farrell or Cllr Murray. Adding to his introductory observations Mr Farrell rejected any suggestion of a ‘happy medium.’ He denoted Assistant County Manager and Youghal Town Manager Patricia Power as a major instigator of the initiative and said she “doesn’t know how to rationalise her business like we do.” The director warned that retailers were “not going to close shops” so the council could balance its books. “If they can’t do it themselves they should get out and let someone else do it.”

He referred to alternative revenue raising suggestions, as circulated to the attendance by the Chamber of Commerce. These included increased rental from the Youghal landfill to match “a six fold increase in intake”; compensation from Cork Co. Council for its “failure to manage” landfill odours; a “balanced income/expenditure arrangement from Cork County Council regarding road maintenance; value for money toilets (manned as against automatic), savings on council vehicles and curtailment of “civic parties and wasteful junkets.”

For all the invective and criticism however, Mr. Farrell said the business community wanted consultation and a mutually agreed strategy, whence paid car parks would be unthinkable but time restrictions quite possible. Meantime, he repeated, “This is about your livelihood and your families. It’s too important to rely on submissions alone. We need to sway a couple of councillors. Find them and approach them.”

Hackneys, builders, trailers, etc…

Cllr Murray, for her part, stressed the importance of written submissions by way of tangible evidence to the town clerk. “I’ve often lobbied on issues and the town clerk has simply informed me that he has had no submissions on the matter. You must put it in writing,” she warned.

She dwelt briefly on other contentious aspects of the proposals, such as hackney drivers having just five minutes at their South and North Main Street set down points, no more than 30 minutes in public car parks and being subject to the same parking restrictions as other drivers, beyond that, even when parked in their designated spaces.

The councillor also drew attention to the €20 per day charge on builders’ vehicles, skips, etc, the designated space at Nealon’s Quay for trailers and the insistence that drivers who depart a disc parking after the maximum permitted time must wait one hour before using another disc parking area. All of these matters were liable for debate and reconsideration “but we must remember everything is only part of draft proposals,” she reassured.

Alternatives

On the main, paid car parks issue, Cllr Murray displayed lateral thinking in forwarding some alterations and counter-proposals. She suggested that some ‘fringe area’ car parks, such as Catherine Street or Priory Court, be set aside for free long-term parking. This would facilitate the town employees, etc, who by necessity are away from their cars al day, as well as the park ‘n’ ride drivers who consume car park spaces while bussing it to Cork for various reasons. The idea was well accepted.

She proceeded that the ‘prime’ car parks, such as Dolphin’s Square and Nealon’s Quay perhaps, under a barrier system, might provide free parking for the first three hours and 50c per hour thereafter. This would lean kindly towards anyone fearful of an early morning ticket after leaving their car in town overnight. The system would eliminate the need for a traffic warden to police the car parks, as the charge would be paid to exit the car park. Cllr Murray believed it would thus be preferable to free parking under a time limit system, which would need to be policed and entail having to move one’s car to avoid a ticket. She did not support car park charges at either beach, or McCurtainstown.

These incentives were considered, at the very least, a worthy starting point on what may be long march towards common ground. The last word (for now) was left to Chamber President Eddie Irwin who advised the departing audience, “The best parking system is one where you don’t have to fine anybody.”

* East Cork’s three TD’s, Ahern, Sherlock and Stanton (alphabetical order ok?!) were engaged in parliamentary business out of town and apologised for their unavoidable absence. The Chamber of Commerce has arranged to meet with Deputy Sherlock in the coming week and similar meetings with his Dail colleagues are being considered.