asked the Minister for Local Government whether his attention has been drawn to the result of a London survey on parking meters which concludes that they are a failure; and whether in the light of this survey the decision to introduce meters in Dublin will be reconsidered.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Parking Meters.
30.
I have not seen the survey to which the Deputy refers. I have, however, seen a newspaper report on a survey on parking meters carried out in an area in London by students of a school of work studies which seems to have concerned itself with questions of enforcement. The Dublin parking bye-laws, 1969, which were made by the Garda commissioner with my consent, enable the control and regulation of parking by means of parking meters to be introduced in the Dublin area. A decision to introduce parking meters pursuant to the bye-laws is a matter for the Garda commissioner and Dublin Corporation and I doubt if they would consider that the report would justify reconsideration of the decision already taken to introduce meters.
Is the Minister aware that large sums of money are being spent on the introduction of these parking meters? This report from London suggests that the benefits of these parking meters in London are to be seriously questioned. Since a large amount of money is being spent in these scarce times, does the Minister not think that we should draw back and reconsider?
This is Dublin, not London.
I know it is Dublin, not London.
Is he not an intelligent man?
Sometimes we can learn from their mistakes in London and they now realise that they made a mistake in introducing parking meters. Does the Minister consider that we should look into the matter once more?
As far as I can gather, this survey by students in London dealt with questions of enforcement in London. The question of enforcement here is a matter for the Garda commissioner.
Is the Minister aware that the overall technique of their introduction and use in London has been questioned quite apart from enforcement?
I am not so aware
Is the Minister aware that the considered opinion in this field is that off-street municipal car parking arrangements are much more effective and much more controllable and, in the long term, much more conducive to effective traffic management than having now outmoded meter car parking facilities on the streets? Would the Minister set up some feasibility study before launching on an expenditure of £90,000 on meters?
Of course, I am aware that off-street car parking facilities have a part to play in this and that kerb-side parking is in general an obstruction to traffic.