Paid parking meter upgrade

Twenty new multi-service payment parking machines will be installed in Cavan Town later month. The investment in paid-for-parking infrastructure in the county town will be followed-up with the launch of a new cashless payment system and online app, due to be launched early next year.

The new machines, which will take cash or card, should be in place and approaching fully operational in time for the Christmas shopping period.

Plans for the upgrade to pay-and-display facilities were first unveiled at the monthly meeting of Cavan County Council in June. It followed a motion tabled by Sinn Féin’s Paddy McDonald, and during the discussion, the now Cathaoirleach, Fianna Fáil’s John Paul Feeley, pointed out how cashless systems are being used to great effect in Enniskillen.

He added that the cashless paid parking option is also more environmentally as they cut down on paper waste.

Aontú’s Sarah O’Reilly, while supportive of the investment, warned that the push to embrace totally cashless systems may marginalise some.

It’s not the first time that the ‘cashless’ issue has been brought up at an elected members’ meeting.

In October, Cllr O’Reilly said: “We’re fast becoming no country for older men, for who many, cash is still king. All we’re asking is to give people the choice,” she said.

She said it will be those on low incomes, the homeless, minorities, as well as the elderly, who will suffer most as a result of operating cashless systems.

A spokesperson for Cavan County Council confirmed to The Anglo-Celt that 20 new “multi service payment” parking machines are “due to be installed” in Cavan Town this month.

They added: “Work is also ongoing to put in place the required IT infrastructure to implement a new payment system and app, which will be launched following the installation of the machines at a date to be confirmed, this year or early in 2023.”