Beyond The Point Of Refund

Ticket to hide…

ou know how it is – you’re only going to be two minutes, three tops, and then you’ll be revving on your merry way…

Just got to pop these into the dry cleaners, post this letter, get flowers for the missus, new scarf for the mistress, some phone credit, a new football for the lad, and a Honeycomb Latte Macchiato with a slice of Banana & Pecan Loaf Cake.

So, maybe four minutes, at the very most. 

It’s a familiar scene down at the Meridian Point shopping centre, as motors are suddenly abandoned just before the car park barrier, lights flashing, drivers dashing – and, for the most part, pretty much all of these latte-sipping, cake-chomping, flower-powered chancers have gotten away with leaving skid marks on those double-yellow lines. 

Well, not anymore, it would seem. With the number of people making a quick pit-stop at the mouth of the Meridian increasing daily since the main road was transformed into the Greystones Botanical Gardens, the APCOA Parking gang have decided it’s time to clamp down.

Literally.

So, from next Friday, if you’re thinking of doing a quick pinball run around the town whilst your car sits red-faced in the Meridian’s no parking zone, you could very well be driving home with a €120 fine in your glove compartment. 

Might just be easier to pop into the shopping centre car park, given that, like all other car parks, they allow a 10-minute grace for those who are genuinely indeed popping by for a few minutes.

There’s also the fact that many of the shops present will cover your parking. With Sports Direct and Green Mango, the first hour of parking is free. With Nikafit Studios, it’s 90 minutes, whilst those visiting Chakra, Lucey Dental or Greystones Car Valeting, it’s free parking for as long as you’re there. 

And before those who like their right Royal takeaway of an evening, the clamping is from 9am to 6pm only.

There are other options, of course, with the neighbouring SuperValu covering you for an hour (when you spend €5 or more) or for two hours (when you spend €10 or more), whilst there’s also a plethora of forgotten spaces in The Burnaby estate. You might even find a few free ones, if you know where to look.

In the meantime, the Meridian Point clampdown on illegal parking will be in effect from this Friday, October 16th.