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Parking Provision

Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 17 April 2018

Tuesday, 17 April 2018

Ceisteanna (1225)

Danny Healy-Rae

Ceist:

1225. Deputy Danny Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if a matter (details supplied) will be addressed regarding coach parking in Dublin city; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15230/18]

Amharc ar fhreagra

Freagraí scríofa

As the Deputy may be aware, the issue of Dublin City coach parking and charging is a matter for Dublin City Council (Parking Enforcement and Policy Section) in the first instance.

The Deputy is probably aware that the National Transport Authority (NTA), which has statutory responsibility for the development of public transport infrastructure in the Greater Dublin Area (GDA), has recently developed the North Wall Coach Park. Due to numerous competing demands, the availability of kerbside space for coach parking is extremely limited in Dublin City Centre.  This has given rise to issues where tour coaches have difficulties in dropping passengers and collecting them subsequently at the same location.  Contributing to this issue are coaches who park at the designated on-street coach parking spaces for lengthy periods, precluding the use of those spaces for drop-off and collection.  Notable among the streets affected is Nassau Street which, despite having a considerable number of coach spaces, suffers from coaches occupying those spaces for several hours at a time.

To address the issue of multi-hour on-street coach parking during business hours, the NTA decided to develop a coach parking facility where coaches could lay-over during daytime hours, thereby freeing up the available on-street spaces.  In order for such a coach park to meet its objective, it had to be located close to the city centre, to ensure short journeys from the passenger locations and to be useful for short-stay coaches. Planning permission was granted for a coach space facility in North Wall from Dublin City Council in 2015, was subsequently appealed and a grant of permission with a number of conditions was issued by An Bord Pleanala in May 2016. 

Discussions were held by the NTA with the Coach Tourism Transport Council (CTTC) in advance of the construction contract for the facility so as to ensure that the coach park would be used by their members, where feasible, during its hours of operation.  A Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) was signed by both the NTA and the CTTC in January 2017, which set out the operational hours of the coach park, the charges that will apply for parking in the facility, and the commitment of CTTC to encourage use of the facility by their members.

In light of their responsibility in this matter, I have referred the Deputy's question to the National Transport Authority for a direct response.  Please advise my private office if you do not receive a reply within ten working days.

A referred reply was forwarded to the Deputy under Standing Order 42A.
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