Compromise reached over centre’s staff parking fees

A NEW parking charge of

?¬18 a week for employees working at Charlestown Shopping Centre in Finglas was reduced to just

?¬1 a day last week following strong opposition from staff.

Tensions were high after staff learned they were to be hit with the controversial fee for parking at the centre car park where they had previously parked for free.

Employees told Northside People they were shocked to learn of the new changes to the parking policy and many were refusing to pay the

?¬18 a week for the over-ground car park and

?¬35 a week for the underground car park.

The new charges sparked fury among staff who began to park in nearby streets, causing anger from local residents who complained about their roads being blocked with cars.

However, following pressure from staff and interventions from local representatives, it’s believed that management have reconsidered the fee and reduced it to

?¬1 per day.

The decision was welcomed by staff who described the

?¬1 per day charge as

“far more reasonable

?.

“There’s no way we could have paid

?¬18 a week just to park in the centre,

? one worker told Northside People.

“It was absolutely out of the question considering what a big chunk of our wages that would have been.

?

Butcher Kevin Mahon of McArdle Meats said the original proposed fee would have been like another tax.

“I can’t even afford to pay my car tax,

? he explained.

“If I had to pay

?¬18 a week just to park then the car would have to go and I’d have to get public transport from my home in Meath to work each day.

“It’s only for the sheer good will of customers who offered us their driveways to park in that we’ve been able to drive to work since the fee was introduced at the start of January.

“It was a nasty blow, especially as we’re already to the pin of our collars.

?

Kevin’s colleague, Jason Higgins, said he simply wouldn’t have been able to afford to pay over e70 a month to park at the centre.

“It was a ridiculous charge especially as the car park is never full anyway,

? he stated.

“I don’t know what was behind the decision but I do know that it created a very bad vibe among staff and customers.

?

Mr Higgins, who is a single father of three, said that he and many other staff had been forced to park in an estate a 10 minute walk away, much to the annoyance of local residents.

“We have been suffering ever since staff started using our road as their private car park,

? said a local resident who contacted Northside People to complain about the situation.

Local TD Dessie Ellis (SF), who put forward the views of workers in talks with the owners of Charlestown Shopping Centre, welcomed the partial u-turn on the fees.

“Obviously I would have preferred if workers didn’t have to pay any money to park in the centre but the reduced charge is still a positive move,

? he said.

“I had argued that it wouldn’t pay workers to have to pay those fees just to park at their work.

“The owners of the centre explained how they wanted to free up spaces in their car parks for customers because the centre is getting busier and busier.

“I’m glad the situation has been resolved, not just for the sake of staff but local residents who were becoming annoyed with the increased parking in their estates.

?

When contacted, a representative for the centre was not available to comment.