Free parking for business owners in Westport

Business owners who pay their rates will be entitled to a free parking permit in three car parks in Westport following the passing of a motion.

Independent councillor Christy Hyland proposed that business owners who meet a number of conditions will be eligible to apply annually for one parking permit in the blue zone or in one of the three car parks on James Street, Mill Street and High Street. They would have to pay local authority rates, have their business premises located with the pay and display parking zone of Westport and have their rates bill fully paid for the previous year before the last day of February in the current year.

“We want to send out the message that we are doing what we can for rate payers in the parking area of our town, that they be given a free parking permit. It recognises the challenging times over many years, and that we’re giving some little help to the business people,” Cllr Hyland said.

Fine Gael’s Peter Flynn says that this proposal is a “long time coming”.

“We could talk about rate for the next half-an-hour but look it, it’s a positive move in the right direction, to recognise the challenges that rate payers have. The closer you are to Westport town centre, the higher pay in rates, so it makes sense that those that pay the highest have access to free parking.”