Call for Cork City Council to reintroduce towing of illegally parked cars 

There have been calls for the return of towing to address illegal parking across Cork city, with one councillor saying that he counted 42 cars parked illegally around Wellington Rd and MacCurtain St on just one day.

At last night’s meeting of Cork City Council, Labour councillor for Cork city North East John Maher proposed that the council should introduce towing to address the ongoing issue of illegal parking on streets, on footpaths, and at bus stops.

In a report, a spokesperson for the council’s executive explained: “In approximately 2010/2011, the elected members of Cork City Council made the decision to terminate the city council’s clamping and towing operation for a number of reasons — including the negative publicity/reaction to the service, the negative impact on shoppers and visitors to the city, and the net annual negative cost.

Net cost

“The combined service operated at a net cost to Cork City Council of €328,000 in 2011 (previous years showing similar net costs), with the clamping element of the contract subsidising the cost of the towing element.

“Cork City Council’s experience demonstrated the very high cost of operating a towing service.

“These costs included plant, manpower, storage yard, administrative overheads etc.

“Based on the above, the reintroduction of towing would represent a retrograde step.”

They added: “It is imperative that alternative remedies — physical infrastructure/impediments, increase in parking charges, reduction of permits etc — should be explored in response to specified and demonstrated issues at identified locations where there is evidence of sustained and illegal dangerous parking.”

Driver behaviour

Mr Maher said: “I accept the report but, once again, we’re talking about driver behaviour and our lack of action to address it across the city. We’re constantly asking about putting in more street furniture and planting, but that’s not being done and the illegal parking continues.

“I’ve been in South Main St carpark the last few weekends, and there has been three floors empty.

“There were 42 cars yesterday parked illegally around Wellington Rd and MacCurtain St — they did it because they got away with it. Next year, we’ll again fight over budgets ... but we’re leaving people park illegally and losing money over it.”

Mr Maher added: “Over Christmas, the city centre was buzzing. It was a pleasure to be there, because there were gardaí there enforcing the law. When we enforce the law, it works.”

Housing estates 

He was supported by his ward colleague, Fine Gael’s Joe Kavanagh, who said: “The illegal parking is growing and increasing in the city centre, and now it’s spilling over into housing estates.

“I could name loads of estates just outside the city where people just come along, abandon their cars, and then walk into town. We’re going to have to come up with some form of control mechanism.”

Fianna Fáil’s Colm Kelleher suggested two hours of free parking in the city council carparks if you show a receipt proving you have contributed to the city’s economy, adding that this would have the dual effect of enticing people into the city.