Tom Shiel
Plans by Mayo County Council to erect 12 parking meters in the pilgrimage village of Knock have failed to get the blessing of the local community.
Knock is one of eight locations throughout Mayo where the council hopes to raise an additional €400,000 from newly introduced parking charges.
Local councillors are incensed at the measure. They say businesses in the towns affected — Charlestown, Swinford, Kiltimagh, Crossmolina, Swinford, Foxford, Belmullet and Knock – are already to struggling to survive economically.
One councillor, Sinn Féin’s Gerry Murray, says that the community in Charlestown are so incensed they will rip the 20 ticket machines proposed for the town down if they are erected and fling them in the local river.
Parking meters were introduced in Ballina last year.
