Docklands parking facility not meeting needs of coach drivers
September 14, 2018
A parking facility for coaches visiting Dublin provided by the National Transport Authority, at a cost of €1.7m, is being snubbed by some coach operators who say it is not meeting their needs. The 50-bay facility at Sheriff Street in the Docklands was opened in January to allow vehicles to park after dropping passengers into the city centre, costing the NTA up to €150,000 a year to operate.
Figures released to RTÉ’s Morning Ireland show that for six weeks the coach park was completely empty, while on average, the facility has never been more than half full, even during peak summer months.
The initiative was designed to prevent coaches from clogging Dublin’s streets for extended periods.
It is open Monday to Friday from 7am to 7pm, however, coach operators say the hours are too limited, particularly because no overnight parking is permitted.
The NTA confirmed that the coach park had been used by an average of nine vehicles per day since January. As part of the planning process the NTA had estimated the demand for coach parking at 77 coaches a day during peak season.