Options on parking availability and costs in Maynooth.

[Purple]

Free parking isn't free. Someone or something has to pay to provide and manage the parking. If it is free, these are costs are spread across all users or employees of the facility, including those who don't drive or park, and those who can't afford to drive or park.

We provide free parking to employees. We have the space and we're not using it. There's no additional cost so in that sense it's free. How else should we expect employees who don't live near public transport to get here?

 

[John Locke]

We provide free parking to employees. We have the space and we're not using it. There's no additional cost so in that sense it's free. How else should we expect employees who don't live near public transport to get here?

That's fine, you make the choice to provide that parking to your employees at no cost.
If you had to create new parking spots from scratch, it would obviously be expensive.
In your case, maybe the land required, and construction of parking spots has already been paid for and is sunk cost, but if you decided to rent those spaces out instead of providing them at no cost to employees, you might get a significant income from it, so it ain't free..

 

[Purple]

That's fine, you make the choice to provide that parking to your employees at no cost.
If you had to create new parking spots from scratch, it would obviously be expensive.
In your case, maybe the land required, and construction of parking spots has already been paid for and is sunk cost, but if you decided to rent those spaces out instead of providing them at no cost to employees, you might get a significant income from it, so it ain't free..

We might make a few hundred Euro a week. Not worth the bother.

 

[RetirementPlan]

We might make a few hundred Euro a week. Not worth the bother.

It's an opportunity cost, could be in the region of €30-€70 per parking space, so it's not hard to get into a significant amount of money. Car park operators have to paint lines. They might have to fit CCTV or access control systems.

But if the land itself is free and has no value, sure hand it over to me and I'll find a use for it.

Free parking is a subsidy to those employees who drive. How do you expect those employees who don't drive or don't have access to a car to get there?

 

[Purple]

It's an opportunity cost, could be in the region of €30-€70 per parking space, so it's not hard to get into a significant amount of money. Car park operators have to paint lines. They might have to fit CCTV or access control systems.

There's little or no net gain for the employer in this case. The extra insurance cost and the supervision cost outweigh the small net gain.

But if the land itself is free and has no value, sure hand it over to me and I'll find a use for it.

We have a use for it; it's an employee car park.

Free parking is a subsidy to those employees who drive. How do you expect those employees who don't drive or don't have access to a car to get there?

We are located near train and bus routes and provide a locked bicycle shed. Those who cycle also avail of the bike to work scheme.

 

[Steven Barrett]

If the train station is €30 a month, that's very cheap and they should avail of that, especially if there is loads of space there.

I remember years ago when working in town, I would need to use my car some days. There was 3/4 free spots around Mount Street area but you needed to get in early. The stress of driving in worried about whether I would get one of those spots. Otherwise, it would cost me €30 for the day.

 

[RetirementPlan]

There's little or no net gain for the employer in this case. The extra insurance cost and the supervision cost outweigh the small net gain.

We have a use for it; it's an employee car park.

We are located near train and bus routes and provide a locked bicycle shed. Those who cycle also avail of the bike to work scheme.

I didn't ask about whether you had a use for it. I asked about whether there was any value in it.

Sure with all those other connectivity options, why would you need to dedicate all that space to storage of their private property?

 

[Purple]

I didn't ask about whether you had a use for it. I asked about whether there was any value in it.

Yes, it has a value as a staff car park. Happy staff work harder. If there is parking they are more likely to work here.

Sure with all those other connectivity options, why would you need to dedicate all that space to storage of their private property?

Because most people can't avail of public transport. Thankfully they use their private property to drive to work and create income and wealth for the company.