New parking byelaws for Nenagh

From June 1st 2016, new byelaws will apply in the town of Nenagh in respect of pay-parking.

 

There are currently 653 off-street car parking spaces in the town of Nenagh in ten car parks owned or operated by Tipperary County Council. A turnover of these spaces is essential in order to facilitate shoppers and visitors to the town. The higher the turnover of parking in a commercial area, the greater the value of each parking space to the businesses in the area.

 

For this reason, parking in the car parks at Abbey St, Friar St, Kenyon St and Hanly’s Place is limited to four hours while all-day car parking is permitted in the car parks at John’s Lane, John’s Place, the Courthouse, O’Rahilly St, Scouts Hall and the Railway Station.

 

In February 2013 the members of Nenagh Town Council introduced free parking in car parks on Saturdays. This was welcomed by the traders and has been seen as effective.

 

It had, however, the unintended consequence that spaces were occupied on an all-day basis, thus reducing the turnover of spaces and making it difficult to find spaces in some of the most used car parks in the town on a Saturday morning. Surveys undertaken as part of a review of the Parking Strategy in Nenagh showed a high level of occupancy in car parks other than the Railway Station (over 90% on a Saturday morning) and repeated usage by the same vehicles on an all-day basis.

 

In order to encourage the turnover of spaces and facilitate shoppers and visitors, the members of the Nenagh Municipal District Council have introduced new bye-laws, which provide for the following:

Saturday free-parking redued to three hours in car parks other than the Railway Station;

Continued free all day parking in the Railway Station car park on Saturdays;

New reduced rate annual permit for the Railway Station car park (163 spaces available) at a cost of €150 – based on usage of 300 days in the year this would equate to 50c per day;

Option available to employers to pay part of the cost of the permit for employees in order to incentivise them to free up spaces in other car parks.

Note also that free parking is permitted daily at Nenagh Railway Station Car Park for the duration of the gas, water and wastewater works currently taking place in the town.

 

Applications for permits are available from Nenagh Municipal District Council, Civic Offices, Limerick Road, Nenagh – tel: 0761 06 5000.

 

Tipperary County Council wishes to support and encourage businesses in the town centre. The review of the Parking Strategy is one of a number of measures being taken. Other initiatives introduced include:

 

a) The Commercial Incentive Scheme, which focuses on developing a mechanism to assist in addressing the issue of vacant retail units in the county’s village and town centres.

 

b) The Early Payment Scheme for Rates 2016 – reductions for early payment. Closing date for applications is 31st May 2016.

 

c) Painting & Enhancement Schemes introduced in Nenagh, Cloughjordan and Borrisokane.

 

d) Provision of hanging baskets and railing baskets in Nenagh town centre.

 

e) Window Box Scheme introduced in Nenagh in 2016.

 

The enhancement measures outlined above contributed to Nenagh achieving its first ever bronze medal in the 2015 Tidy Towns Competition. We will continue to work with the business sector, the Tidy Towns committee and other groups and organisations with a view to making Nenagh a welcoming town in which to shop, visit and do business.