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Independent Councillor Terry O’Flaherty has said that she will not be supporting any move to remove the ‘Pay & Display’ parking machines in Galway City. She said that there had been suggestions of taking out the 90 machines throughout the city altogether, and Galway City Council is promoting the use of its parking app by motorists as an alternative. Shops offering parking tickets for purchase was another alternative which is now in place. Meanwhile, the Council has placed hoods over several ‘Pay & Display’ machines that are out of order. Cllr O’Flaherty said that while many people had signed up to the new parking app system, this was not ideal for everyone, and the best solution would be to have both systems in place. “The idea of drivers purchasing parking tickets in a number of shops, similar to the old system that was in place over decades ago when the City Council introduced parking fees, is a backward step. “The ‘Pay & Display’ machines are relatively new, and I believe could last for many more years – they are highly visible and should be restored to accept cash and cards,” she said, adding that the fact that not everyone has the app is problematic. “There are a number of people coming into the city that do not have the apps on their phones and having to look around for the shops selling the parking tickets is not ideal.” Councillor O’Flaherty stressed the importance of the city businesses – who are the ratepayers who fund the city – having their say, to see how it would affect their business if the machines were removed. “We are a tourist city and it’s ridiculous that motorists who arrive in the city might have to go around looking for shops that are selling the parking tickets – in the case of parking near South Park, for instance, they would have some job trying to find that shop,” she added.
