Welcome for increased Parking signs at Westport Railway Station.

Cllr Keith Martin has welcomed increased warning signage at Westport Train Station outlining Irish Rail's new car parking charges.  The charges have proved controversial and have lead to at least one car being clamped at the station.

The new signage was announced by Nationwide Controlled Parking Systems (NCPS) in their reply to a letter from Westport Town Council which outlined councillors' concerns in relation to the clamping of cars at the station.  In their letter NCPS have outlined that the new signage is now in place. 

Irish Rail charge €2 per day or €8 per week for cars parked at the station or in the station car park.  Cars which do not display their parking ticket are clamped and owners have to pay €120 to have the clamp removed.

Despite welcoming the new signage Cllr Martin is still calling for the parking charges to be revoked.  According to the Labour councillor "Westport is not a commuter town, nor is it well served by bus routes or rural transport schemes and for Irish Rail to impose parking charges is just another stealth tax which is part of the new "Great Train Robbery" which has seen us lose our hot food dining cars in the name of progress.  Irish Rail should reverse this new parking charge, bring back dining cars and ensure 'fair' fares on the Westport line for families and students."