[Colm Moore]

Has anyone seen details of this?

http://www.argus.ie/news/relief-for-...t-3156264.html

Relief for rail commuters as parking charges cut
WEEKLY TICKET SLASHED FROM €10 TO €2
By OLIVIA RYAN
Wednesday June 27 2012

DUNDALK COMMUTERS will see charges at the station car park slashed to just €2 in a welcome move by Iarnrod Eireann.

Iarnrod Eireann has confirmed that the cost of parking at the station will be drastically cut from a costly €10 a week to just €2 for those who hold a tax save annual or monthly ticket. The news is particularly welcome as it comes just months after the company announced a rise in parking fees for those using the pay and display machines.

In December last year, Irish Rail announced they were increasing the cost of parking from €2 a day to €3 a day and from €8 a week to €10 for those using the parking machines at the station. The move was designed to encourage more commuters to use the new Park-by text system.

However, the latest measure is sure to be welcomed by Louth commuters, many of whom already avail of the taxsaver ticket.

The scheme is available to those who commute to work in Dublin from Dundalk, Drogheda, Laytown and Gormanston and involves a yearly charge of €100 or a monthly charge of €8.

A spokesperson for Iarnrod Eireann said the incentive was being offered to attract as many people people as possible to use the rail services.

' The taxsaver ticket is a very attractive option for people who commute, particularly for those travelling long distances from Drogheda and Dundalk it works out at just over €2 per journey for annual ticket holders,' said the spokesperson. 'Now it is even more attractive as this offer means those who have annual and monthly taxsaver tickets will pay just €2 a week for parking.'

The news has been welcomed by Louth Deputy Gerald Nash who described the reduction as 'excellent news' for the many commuters travelling to Dublin on a daily basis.

'I encouraged people last year to participate in Irish Rail's Consultation Plan and I know that many people raised parking costs as an issue,' said Deputy Nash.

' Train fares have gone up across the country but for regular commuters this reduction in parking fees will more than offset that. For those travelling every day, this will amount to an annual saving of €400.'

- OLIVIA RYAN