COMHAIRLE CONTAE ÁTHA CLIATH THEAS
SOUTH DUBLIN COUNTY COUNCIL

MEETING OF RATHFARNHAM AREA COMMITTEE

Tuesday, February 08, 2011

HEADED ITEM NO. 7

Pay and Display parking at Owendoher Crescent 

Following extensive discussions at previous Area Committee meetings and the request approved at the January Area Committee Meeting that the residents of Owendoher Crescent be further consulted on the introduction of Pay and Display Parking, a further survey was carried out on Friday, January 21^st 2011.

Officials spent a number of hours in Owendoher Crescent consulting with residents and in particular with those residents who had indicated a change of mind from initially being in favour of the introduction of Pay and Display. The purpose of the visit was to establish, if possible, the general consensus of the residents and to ensure that the operation of the scheme was understood.

It is worth noting that the vast majority of the houses in Owendoher Crescent do not have their own private driveways and therefore in most cases residents and visitors would have to purchase parking permits or individual parking tickets to meet their daily parking needs.  It was also noted that there are a number of elderly residents living in Owendoher Crescent who have particular care needs and that their medical needs can give rise to increased demands for parking permits. There are also a number of large families living on the road with consequential demands for parking. 

In the course of the discussions with those residents who could be contacted on the day, the following comments were made:

·        Residents and visitors have no where else to park

·        Some residents indicated that they were happy that their street was no longer full of vehicles

·        Residents did not understand the implications of the proposal for Pay and Display parking when they consented originally

·        The initial survey was conducted by personal call and many of the residents were reluctant to seem negative to the proposal

·        Some residents were concerned that bin lorries had been blocked in the past

·        One house was vacant at the time of the original survey

·        Residents did state that on many occasions they could not park near their own home

·        Residents were concerned of the overall costs to them of the system

·        Residents were generally aware that that the absence of the Pay and Display system would give rise to a significant increase in inappropriate parking on their street

·        Residents stated that there was a particular difficulty with shopping trips and messages had to be carried a considerable distance from their car

·        Residents were aware that all signage restricting parking would be removed if the Pay and Display system was terminated on their street

·        A small number of residents remained in favour of keeping the Pay and Display parking

·        The majority view was that they did not want to keep the system and that it should be removed

·        Residents were aware that their decision was final and would not be reviewed for many years.

To summarize it can be noted that:

11        households in favour

14         households not in favour

2           households have no particular opinion  

27       

On the basis that this represents the final views of the residents it is a matter for the area Committee to make a recommendation on this matter. Any recommendation from the Area Committee will be brought  before the full Council for final decision.