Anger over charges to use technology to pay for parking in Kildare towns
Charges associated with online payments for parking in towns across County Kildare have come under fire.
Naas councillor Colm Kenny sought information about the charges at a Kildare County Council meeting.
Cllr Naoise Ó Cearúil: "The company has found a way to charge even more"
KCC official Evelyn Wright said that the fees for parking are as per the bye-laws adopted by the councillors.
In a report she added “the charges and breakdown of fees in the contract between Kildare County Council and APCOA are commercially sensitive." However the convenience charge for on-line parking payment service must not be any more than 10% of the transaction fee by the customer (and) the purpose of the convenience charge is for the provision, operation, administration, support and maintenance of the on-line parking service.
The meeting heard that Apcoa operates “Apcoa connects” countrywide in both private and public car parks.
However the requirements of each contract vary. There is an option for a customer to operate an e-wallet account with a monthly cost plus VAT deducted from the wallet account. KCC does not provide a ‘wallet’ account facility on its own app. The service is pay as you go only, eliminating additional costs to the customer. The account transactions are also slightly different, KCC’s account transactions will show the location of the parking area subscribed to.
Ms Wright added that the charges pay for the overall management of the service. She also said that IT systems come with a charge and “we’re satisfied we have a professional service working for us.”
“It’s 10% more, it should be 10% less,” said Cllr Seamie Moore, adding that one car park operated by KCC and Apcoa is losing more money that it’s taking in.
Cllr Naoise Ó Cearúil said Apcoa is being paid for administering the service and the company had “found a way to charge even more.”