City centre parking to rise to €4 per hour in new year

Dublin City Council has announced a rise in on-street parking charges, and will take effect in the coming year.

Under the changes, hourly parking rates will be raised to €4 in some areas of Dublin City Centre.

The city centre “yellow zone,” will see parking rates rise from €3.50 to €4, while the “red zone” charge will increase from €3 to €3.50.

The outer “green zone” will see a slight increase from €1.80 to €2, and the “orange zone,” will see a modest increase from €1.10 to €1.20.

Sunday’s city centre parking charge will grow from €1.60 to €1.80.

Changes to the car parking fees will see city centre parking become more expensive than indoor car parks on the north side, such as Arnotts and Jervis Shopping Centre car parks, which charge €3 an hour, and the council-owned Ilac Centre car park, which charges €3.60 per hour.

On the south side, several car parks, including the Grafton car park (formerly the Brown Thomas car park), already charge €4 per hour, and the council-owned Dawson Street car park charges €4.40 an hour.

The rise in parking fees is in conjunction with Dublin City Council’s draft Dublin City Centre Transport Plan, which looks to implement the reallocation of road space to prioritise public transport services, cyclists, and pedestrians.

 Under the proposals, new “bus gates” will be installed on the quays close to O’Connell Bridge, effectively restricting private traffic movement in the surrounding area.

In 2025, a traffic-free plaza is mooted for the Custom House, and there are further proposals floated to make Parliament Street traffic-free.

The move is in line with Dublin City Council attempting to shift towards sustainability, efficiency, and reducing traffic congestion, and the Council have encouraged members of the public to have their say about the new street plans for Dublin.

Dublin’s streets have seen substantial changes in recent times, with College Green banning cars in May of this year, and the total removal of traffic from Capel Street taking effect in 2022.