LETTERKENNY businesses have put on a united front against proposed parking rate increases.
A petition with almost 4,500 local signatures against the parking hikes was brought to council offices today.
This includes some 136 businesses who have signed individual letters documenting their concerns.
The increases in Letterkenny town centre are part of planned changes to parking by-laws by Donegal County Council.
The proposed changes would see parking rates increase from €1 to €2.50 per hour on Letterkenny Main Street and the Port Road.
Public consultation on the proposed parking by-laws is still open until Monday.
Today, several local business representatives shared their concerns about the proposed changes.
“We’re trying to support business,” said Leonard Watson of Watson Menswear. “We’re trying to encourage people back into the Main Street.
“Raising parking charges will not help so we’re just asking the council now to listen to what the people are saying and make the right decision.”
Leonard Watson arriving with the petitions against the parking price increase.
Gerard McCormick, owner of Magees Pharmacy in Letterkenny Main Street, said: “Since the council proposed the increase in the town centre, from €1 to €2.50, we were concerned about it.
“So we as retailers have all got together and we’ve worked together to create a lot of additions and signatures from the public.
“We felt it was appropriate to all come together as a group because we’ve been working together as a group that we would be here today to present the petitions and the letters to the council.”
On the proposed rate increases, Mr McCormick said: “It’s a barrier to business and anything that creates a barrier to business is not good. So we would strongly feel that it would stop people coming into the centre of our town because there’s other places.
“They don’t have to come into our town, they can shop online at home, they can shop in areas where there’s free parking. And I think to move it towards €2.50 is a step too far.
“Our businesses will struggle with that and we feel it’s important that we put in our letters petitioning the council not to do this.”
‘A real society’
Gerry McKeever of Gerry’s Barbers said: “We have a real society, a lot of us are there a long time on the street.
“It’s a real hub for people being sociable and it’s hard to do that because you’re restricted.
“I spoke to a lady there, she said she sets her phone for half an hour so she has to leave the shop and go out to put a ticket in her car. She shouldn’t have to do it at all.”
He added: “You should be able to relax as opposed to looking at your clock all the time. If you can dander about, you can do two or three things as opposed to doing one thing.
“When you think about it, the main street should be the heart of the town. We should be more sociable and we are. I have customers coming into the barbershop now, some for forty years.
“They become friends, you have conversations and surely we need to foster that. I think if the main street is kept healthy and alive, the council should do what they can because it’s very important we keep that.”
Letterkenny Chamber also offered its support to the businesses.
CEO Toni Forrester said the Chamber has made its own submission to the council.
“We strongly oppose the proposed rate increases,” she added.