Dublin City Council (DCC) is losing almost €2 million a year through its traffic enforcement division, a recent sitting of the South East Area heard.
The number was disclosed as part of a presentation of parking enforcement in the South East Area. “In relation to the cost of providing enforcement in the city, it’s approximately €6.1 million a year and generates €4.3 million a year in declamp fees,” said Kevin Meade of the DCC’s Traffic Department.
The presentation concerned the different aspects of traffic control throughout the South East Area, such as clamping and clearing bus lanes, and the different ways people can pay for parking space, such as cashless parking payments.
The Council was also told that the South East Area regularly appears as some of the most clamped streets in Dublin, appearing in what Kevin described as a top 10 list.
“It’s obviously not a money generating scheme for the Council if it’s losing €2 million a year,” said Fine Gael Councillor Paddy McCartan. “I don’t think any private organisation could afford to lose that amount of money.”
There was also concern about the clamp-happy nature of the Council. “There’s a concern that I have, and I know it’s shared by other councillors, that clamping has become a money generating service by the City Council,” said Fianna Fáil Councillor Jim O’Callaghan. “It appears to me that the South East Area is more enforced than most.”
Dog park on Sandymount Strand
Labour Councillor Dermot Lacey asked the City Manager to consider creating an area around Sandymount Strand where dogs would be free to run around.
Michael Noonan, the Senior Executive Parks Superintendent, said that the area is an EU protected area and, “It is requested that dogs are under the effective control of their owners at all times during the bird feeding and nesting seasons to minimise disturbance to wildfowl.”
Sandbags at Stella GardensCllr. Lacey also asked the Council to organise a collection of sandbags from Stella Gardens. Colm Fitzpatrick, Senior Executive Engineer, Drainage and Wastewater Services Division said it is, “not our intention to collect sandbags from Stella Gardens, instead it’s left up to the residents.”
Flood defences
Cllr. McCartan asked the City Manager to examine the slipway at the junction of Thorncastle Street in Ringsend.
The site is located across from Portview House and the worry concerns danger of high tides, which, according to Cllr.
McCartan, has left the residents vulnerable. “During this time there was no protection in the form of sandbagging, etc, and this should be reviewed,” he said.
“I will arrange to re-survey the area to re-determine its current level of tidal risk,” said Gerard O’Connell, Engineer-in-Charge, Regional Projects and Emergency Services Division at Dublin City Council. “This level of risk will be taken into account if any temporary or permanent flood alleviation measures are required at this locale.”
Donnybrook Pot holes
Cllr. McCartan asked the City Manager to investigate potholes at Beech Hill Road in Donnybrook. Recent heavy rains have made the road surface uneven with potholes, which according to Cllr. McCartan is a danger to cyclists.
DCC said they have, “No plans to resurface Beech Hill Road in the immediate future. We will carry out carriageway repairs here as soon as possible.”
Traffic problems
DCC’s Traffic Department took the brunt of some serious criticism by Labour Councillor Mary Freehill. Cllr. Freehill was making a complaint about the Council’s lack of willingness to hold a meeting regarding parking spaces in Gulistan in Rathmines.
“This is playing God yet again, everything is going into the traffic department and they seem to look into their heart like de Valera because they know what’s best for the people of the South East,” said Cllr. Freehill. She said her request went in several weeks ago and she hasn’t heard anything since.
“The traffic department would look at it and if there was need for a meeting that we would hold one for the residents,” said a Council official.
Parking at Bellamy’s Pub in Ballsbridge
Cllr. Lacey requested information regarding the archway at Bellamy’s Pub in Ballsbridge.
According to the councillor, the site has been used as a free parking spot. “There’s a small lane behind the archway where there is no parking allowed but it has become used as a permanent parking spot by people,” he said.
Donal Brennan of the City Council’s traffic division asked Cllr. Lacey to put something in writing and he will get back to him within due course.
