Parking grace period not needed in bye-laws: council

A spokesman for Tullamore Town Council has said an agreement on 15 minutes of free parking in Tullamore has been formalised, and that it doesn't matter that it is not being written into the town's parking bye-laws. Earlier this week Tullamore and District Chamber of Commerce released a statement urging the council to include the agreement in law, and said not doing so would be a "total abuse of process". Tullamore councillors agreed by a majority of seven to two to a proposal of 15 minutes of free parking in the town at the council's October meeting. "Tullamore and District Chamber of Commerce support the elected representatives who have voted at the October meeting of Tullamore Town Council to have the 15 minutes free parking made part of the bye-laws," the statement from Chamber President Anne Starling read. "This is a democratic decision made by the councillors who voted for this motion and not to implement these changes is a step in the wrong direction for local democracy. It would be a total abuse of process by the council management and would leave the relationship between Tullamore Town Council and the business people in a very dark place. Speaking to the Offaly Independent Tullamore Town Council's Gabriel Conlon said what was agreed at October's meeting was that the grace period would be formalised and signage reflecting the period put on parking meters. "I think that was the understanding," he said. Mr Conlon said. "I don't understand the thinking if it's not written in stone it's not applicable," he said. "I genuinely don't see where the issue is." Mr Conlon added that having an additional section in the town's parking bye-laws would mean potentially greater challenges to securing parking convictions for those who flout the law. Cathaoirleach of Tullamore Town Council Lar Byrne declined to comment on the issue.