Donegal County Council is being asked to sit down with local businesses in Buncrana after it emerged the half hour free parking on Main Street may be abolished.
One local business owner is taking up a petition as officials carry out a review. It’s after it emerged the council found that it is losing around €15,000 a year on the coordination of car parking in the town.
A consultation event takes place in the Inishowen Gateway Hotel on Tuesday from 12 noon until 5pm, but Paul Brogan, owner of ‘Food for Thought’ wants the council to speak to the businesses directly.
He says abolishing the free half hour would be unjust……….
Independent Cllr Nicholas Crossan initially supported the free half hour, but says another approach is needed, possibly reducing the 30 minutes to 15 minutes.
He says this came to a head when government imposed VAT on the income received by local authorities from car parking.
Cllr Crossan says with millions of euro coming into Buncrana for the Shore Front and other regeneration projects, the council must find local contributions from its own resources.
He says going back to the ratepayers again is not an option, and he believes many business people understand that………
