The Square Tallaght to scrap free parking from next week

Kenneth Fox

The Square Tallaght shopping centre has announced that from next Saturday, September 10th there will be no more free parking.

Prior to the changes, shoppers got two hours' parking for free, with the third hour costing €2

The centre has now announced that from next Saturday a new fully paid and ticketless car parking system will come into operation.

The new system will use vehicle registration capture to replace physical tickets, with new tariffs and payment options.

The centre's operators said the system is being introduced to address ongoing challenges and ensure the car park and centre is fit for purpose.

It added that under the current structure, a significant number of vehicles take advantage of customer parking to access businesses and services outside the shopping centre.

The introduction of the new system ensures a sustainable model, providing increased parking availability to centre customers, and ongoing enhancements to car park and centre facilities, the centre said.

Disappointed @TheSqTallaght will be charging customers for parking from September 10th, the increase is not as steep as LiffeyValley. Was free 2hrs, 3hr €2. Now €1 for 3hr. LV €2.50 hr 1. Next 2hr free. Min charge LV €2.5/Tallaght €1 @JOEdotie @DublinLive @breakingnewsie pic.twitter.com/VSvkQMddkm

— Cllr Trevor Gilligan PC #I'dVote4u (@trevorgilligan) September 2, 2022

The new rates mean all visits up to three hours will cost €1, while anything over three hours will cost €2 per hour, with the maximum daily charge being €30.

Staff parking rates remain unchanged at €100 a year over 2 payments, working out at less than 30 cent a day.

The Square said the ticketless system will also save the printing of over 4.5 million tickets a year.

Local Fianna Fáil Councillor Trevor Gilligan said he was "disappointed" by the news, however, he said he was relieved that The Square has not followed Liffey Valley shopping centre which plans to introduce charges of €2.50 an hour.

"I'm calling on management to waive the parking charges for staff members in the shopping centre. Call it what you will, it is simply another tax on staff and workers.

"Planning regulations and guidelines must change as there is an emphasis from the planning department to charge for parking.

"I understand there is a push towards using public transport but the infrastructure & public transport for a lot of workers simply is not there and until the infrastructure is place, it is simply a hidden tax on workers."

Cllr Gilligan said the fee should also be waived for cinemagoers, claiming the added cost will result in a "huge reduction in visitors to the cinema".

"People will either find cinemas with free parking or simply sit at home and watch Netflix or Disney+," he added.