Twenty minutes free parking to be rolled out in towns across Tipperary
The free parking period is one of the provisions in Tipperary County Council’s new parking bye-laws that harmonise parking regulations across the county
Twenty minutes free parking is to be rolled out to all towns across Tipperary where paid parking is in operation next year following the approval of new parking bye-laws at Tipperary County Council's July meeting on Monday.
The free parking period will apply to nine towns: Clonmel, Nenagh, Thurles, Tipperary Town, Cashel, Carrick-on-Suir, Cahir, Roscrea and Templemore.
Meanwhile, councillors opposed to the removal of two-hour free parking in Cahir secured an amendment to the new parking bye-laws which will provide the option for one-hour free parking to be sanctioned for a town.
The amendment tabled at the council meeting in Nenagh was passed by 19 votes to 17 following an hour-long debate on the bye-laws with councillors representing constituents in the Cahir and Tipperary Town areas arguing strenously in favour of the measure.
On-street parking in Cahir is currently free for up to two hours but under the harmonisation of parking rules across the county, motorists face parking charges in the town centre once their 20 minutes free parking period is up next year. The amendment could pave the way for a less painful one-hour free parking arrangement for the town.
Cahir's business community has strongly opposed the removal of the two-hour free parking warning that it will deter people from shopping and doing other business in the town centre.
Newcastle Independent Cllr Máirín McGrath, who proposed the amendment, said she didn't feel the submissions made by councillors from the Cahir and Tipperary Town areas had been dealt with by council management and she was proposing that one hour free parking be included on the “menu” of parking arrangement options in the bye-laws that councillors can decide to introduce to a town.
“In Cahir, we are coming from a two-hour free parking arrangement that is managed efficiently by the traffic warden and now facing a big change. I think one-hour free parking is a fair compromise,” she argued.
She argued that different circumstances applied in all towns and strongly believed the new paid parking arrangements proposed for Cahir won't work for its ratepayers.
Tipperary Town Sinn Féin Cllr Annemarie Ryan, who seconded the amendment, said harmonisation of the parking bye-laws didn't address the unique challenges in each of the county's towns.
She pointed out that Tipperary Town operated under an unique set of pressures that perhaps didn't apply to other towns. The main one was the N24 running through the town centre with over 2,200 vehicles travelling through the Main Street daily causing congestion and making it a difficult retail environment for businesses. Other challenges were 300 free parking spaces in out of town shopping centres and a high vacancy commercial property vacancy rate.
She argued that introducing one-hour free parking in Tipperary Town centre would increase footfall in the town centre and in turn deliver extra parking revenue.
Clonmel Cllr Tom Acheson, however, argued that if one-hour free parking was introduced in Clonmel, the council's parking revenue would be decimated and then the local authority would have to increase rates.
“If I asked people in Clonmel if they wanted one-hour free parking, they would love it but we have to be careful what we wish for,” he said.
Senior council engineer James Murray advised councillors that the impact of introducing one-hour free parking would be to reduce parking fees income by 60%.
“We would love to be able to give people what they want but at the same time we can't recommend this (amendment). The problems that it poses for us are too significant to overcome.”
After further debate, CEO Sinead Carr urged councillors to reflect on what was being proposed in this amendment. “If it worked, we would have included it (in the bye-laws) but we also have to tell you if it doesn't work and that doesn't mean we are not co-operating with you,” she explained.
The amendment was then put to a vote and was approved by a narrow majority of 19 to 17 vote.
Tipperary County Council issued a statement after the debate saying the approval of the 2026 Parking Bye-Laws marked a significant milestone in the final stage of policy harmonisation following the merger of North and South Tipperary local authorities in 2014.
“The bye-laws will provide greater equity and consistency in parking arrangements across the county, including the introduction of a 20-minute free parking period for the first time countywide.
“This measure will encourage a quicker turnover of parking spaces, improving availability for customers and supporting local businesses, while ensuring that the average parking charge across the county remains static.
“The approved bye-laws bring together several separate parking bye-laws that have remained in operation across the county, creating for the first time a single, consistent parking framework for the nine towns where parking charges apply.
“This countywide approach ensures that parking spaces are subject to similar charges, permit arrangements and operational rules across county Tipperary.”
The Council outlined that the harmonised framework was informed by an extensive public consultation process, during which submissions were received from residents, businesses, community groups, chambers of commerce and elected representatives.
It stressed that the purpose of the new parking policy was not to generate additional income, but rather to manage parking effectively, improve the turnover of prime town centre spaces and encourage greater utilisation of existing parking infrastructure.
Subject to implementation arrangements, the new countywide Tipperary County Council Parking Bye-Laws will come into effect during the first quarter of 2027.