No 'grace period' for Waterford drivers if ticket machines are out of order

Drivers are advised to purchase their parking tickets from their phones if the ticket machines are out of order.

Senior Engineer at Waterford City and County Council, Gabriel Hynes was responding to a recent issue that saw three parking meters out of order at the same time in the square in Dungarvan.   

“You can use your phone to pay your parking on the app. 

"But I do accept that there were three meters out. That doesn't exclude anyone from getting a ticket elsewhere and there isn’t any grace period because there was three meters out,” said Mr Hynes.

Mr Hynes was responding to Cllrs Thomas Phelan and Joe O’Riordan, who raised the issue at the January sitting of Dungarvan-Lismore District Council.

Cllr Phelan asked why they were out of order and if there is a maintenance company that could fix them.

“The three machines in the square here in Dungarvan out of action and causing an inconvenience to people trapesing around looking for a machine. 

"I’m just wondering how all three came to be out of order at the same time?,” said Cllr Phelan.

Mr Hynes said they were aware of the issues with the three meters in the square.

He said the issue was related to battery life.

But because of the poor weather, the engineer was unable to make the journey to repair them.

Cllr Riordan asked if tickets were issued that day when “people were not bothered to look around the place.”

He also asked if the responsibility is the driver to find one that is working and if tickets against drivers were issued, can they be appealed?

Mr Hynes responded that “anyone can appeal a ticket; that hasn’t changed.” 

Cllr O’Riordan asked that if a machine is out, perhaps a sign could be put up, directing drivers to the next available.