Car parking charges generate over €360 million per year
European parking conference hears local authorities make the most from parking charges
Print12 September 2013
A conference in Dublin has been told that car parking charges generate more than €360 million per year for local authorities and private industry in Ireland. According to a Europe-wide survey, towns and cities across the country have more than 350,000 paid parking spaces but most are off-street in car parks. The survey identified that there was potential to generate far more income from parking if more on-street or "kerbside" spaces were to be metered.
The European parking conference, held in Dublin heard that local authorities do best from parking charges with revenues of some €115 million, according to the Irish Parking Association, the private and public sector representative body which is hosting the conference.
Private car parks have revenues of €80 million and car parks at railway stations and other transport hubs generate €70 million. Shopping centre car parks have revenues of €50 million; parking at hotels and hospitals have combined revenues of €25 million; and equipment suppliers have revenues of €15 million. Miscellaneous associated services produce a combined total of €5 million.
The industry as a whole contributes more than €100 million to the exchequer, and directly employs more than 1,500 people in Ireland, the association said. Across Europe the industry is estimated to be worth more than €20 billion and employs 500,000 people. Most of Ireland’s paid parking is off-street in car parks with about 270,000 spaces, compared with 85,000 on-streets paid parking spaces. Across Europe the ratio of off-street to on-street is far closer with almost 22 million off-street spaces compared to 12 million on-street paid parking spaces. However, the European Parking Association estimates that far more "kerbside" spaces in city centres could be made to pay.
Opening the conference, Transport Minister Leo Varadkar said the provision of parking was very important for urban mobility. "A well-regulated and managed parking regime can enhance a town significantly, while a parking free-for-all increases congestion, slows traffic and can even cause unnecessary trips to be made," said Minister Varadkar.
However, business groups in many Irish towns have complained that parking fees charged by local authorities are driving consumers towards out-of-town centres to the detriment of many small retailers.
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