Frustrated Liffey Valley staff are set to stage a peaceful protest on Sunday outside the shopping centre ahead of new pay parking being introduced for the first time.
The shopping centre has recently undergone a €30m transformation of its car park, which included increasing disability spaces by 14%, parent and child spaces by 46%, and creating 20 electric vehicle charging points. From Monday, October 17, a "comprehensive parking guidance system" will launch at Liffey Valley, which will display real-time data on approach roads and within the car parks to direct customers to the nearest available bay.
Following a meeting earlier this week, staff at Liffey Valley are to stage a protest this Sunday October 16, meeting at 12 o'clock outside Cosmos. The organisers of the protest have told Dublin Live that the peaceful demonstration is taking place from 12-4pm because "staff are very worried about paying €600 a year on parking with no guarantee of getting a parking space."
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Liffey Valley's new paid parking management system is called Park Easy, and it will be a ticketless and cashless system, scanning a customer's car registration number when they drive into the car park. A daily rate of €2.50 is set to be introduced for a designated staff car park on October 16, and this would work out at approximately €600 per year for staff who drive and work fulltime.
Customers who stay 0-3 hours will have to pay €2.50, while 3-4 hours costs €5.00, 4-5 hours is €7.50, 5-6 hours is €10.00 and 6-7 hours is €12.50 (Max Day Rate) There is a flat rate evening charge of €2.50 between the hours of 6pm - 8am.
Worker Gemma O'Brien previously told RTE Liveline listeners that the new cost will have a huge impact on the worker's take home pay. She said: "A lot of retail staff are on minimum wage as it is. They're struggling.
"People have given up gym memberships that cost €80 per month because they cannot afford it. Now they want to charge us €65 per month to park at the car park to come to work to try and make a living.
"There are people saying they are going to have to look for transfers because they can't afford it. People are thinking of leaving completely and working locally. It is a future staffing problem."
A spokeswoman for Liffey Valley Shopping Centre told Dublin Live that a discounted rate will be available for staff and it is still to be confirmed. She said: "A major refurbishment of the main car park will make the parking experience easier, safer and less stressful for visitors. The car park will be resurfaced, realigned and landscaped and new lighting and walkways are being installed throughout.
"Real-time information will assist people in getting parked more quickly and many more parking spaces will be available for drivers with a disability and parents and toddlers. The car park will also cater for electric vehicles with new dedicated electric charging points.
She added: "In line with Local Authority guidance and Greater Dublin Area Transport Strategy requirements, the new arrangements will also see the introduction of paid parking at the Shopping Centre in Q4 of this year – with a €2.50 charge to apply for the first hour of parking, with the next 2 hours after that will be free."
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