Róisín Shortall (Dublin North West, Labour)
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Question 494: To ask the Minister for Transport and the Marine if the memorandum of understanding between his Department and Iarnród Éireann contains requirements of Iarnród Éireann in relation to the minimisation of parking charges at stations; his Department's policy in relation to the imposition of such charges on commuters and the consequent discouragement of the use of public transport; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20393/07]

Noel Dempsey (Meath West, Fianna Fail)
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The Memorandum of Understanding between my Department and Iarnród Éireann contains no provision in relation to parking charges for the use of car parks at railway stations. The provision and management of car parks at railway stations is a matter for Iarnród Éireann, taking account of the guiding principles for the implementation of rail-based park and ride adopted by the Dublin Transportation Office in their strategy for park and ride in the Greater Dublin Area. These were approved by my Department in 2005. These principles are:

Park and ride should improve rail accessibility without disimproving road congestion,

Rail users only should use park and ride spaces, and may have to pay to use them,

Complementary parking controls in the areas around stations may be required,

Those who benefit from park and ride should contribute to the cost of it by way of a separate charge; the cost should not be absorbed into rail fares generally,

Rail services must be able to serve the demand generated by Park and Ride provision.

Park and ride facilities can and do have a positive impact on public transport use and have an important role to play in encouraging people to transfer from private cars to public transport. In considering whether to impose charges for the use of park and ride facilities, providers are expected to take into account a variety of factors and these would include consideration of the likely impact of charges on use of the facility and, by extension, on public transport use.