Labour's Cllr Keith Martin has condemned the introduction of car parking charges at the Reek Car Park in Murrisk as "backward and short sighted" saying they will only discourage visitors to Murrisk and lead to dangerous parking along the side of the road.
Cllr Martin added that he was very surprised that the introduction of charges was unanimously backed by local County Councillors and said the car parking charge was just a stealth tax on Murrisk Tourism.
"I'm surprised that this backward and short sighted move is being fully supported by all the local County Councillors given the precarious situation in relation to tourism in Murrisk. Murrisk has a lot to offer given his beauty and historical and religious significance and charging for parking detracts from this. In effect visitors will now be charged to climb Croagh Patrick, visit the Abbey or contemplate at the Famine Memorial.
Murrisk Development Association and the people of Murrisk have put huge efforts into making their area beautiful and welcoming. These charges are a real set back to those efforts.
Introducing car parking charges at a site of international religious importance and natural beauty is also questionable behaviour at the best of times, introducing those charges in the middle of the worst recession in history, when tourism is threatened by everything from travel costs to volcanoes smacks of stupidity.
I'm amazed that this received the support of local County Councillors. I condemn these charges completely and urge the councillors to reconsider. These charges could kill Murrisk's tourism and lead to dangerous parking on the main road..
The justification of these charges, namely that the council must re-coup the money spent improving the car park is facetious as the council spends millions on improving roadways but does not turn them into toll road s to re-coup the costs. This car parking charge is just a stealth tax by Mayo County Council on tourism in Murrisk.
The idea that Mayo County Council can afford to hire a traffic warden to enforce these charges is laughable and would cost more than the car parking charge would generate. Even part time the costs involved in hiring and dispatching a warden to Murrisk car park every day is a joke. It's only a pity that this car parking charge isn't a joke too."
Cllr Keith Martin086 0691182
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