Fall in parking revenue in Mayo county town is questioned

An elected member of Mayo County Council has questioned why parking income has fallen in Castlebar.

Councillor Harry Barrett elaborated: "Castlebar is a much bigger and busier town than it was 10 or 15 years ago.

"Yet the money being collected from parking is still below what it was during the Town Council days.

"That simply doesn't make sense, and I believe Mayo County Council needs to explain why.

"New figures show that Castlebar collected €736,341 in parking charges and €29,330 in parking fines during 2025, giving a total of €765,671.

"While that is the highest figure of any town in Mayo, it is still well below the €1 million that was consistently collected in the Town Council era.

"I'm not calling for an increase in parking charges. What I am asking is whether the current system is being managed as effectively as it could be.

"If the existing system was working better, the extra income could be reinvested in Castlebar through improved footpaths, public spaces, parking facilities and other local projects that benefit everyone.

"I will be asking Mayo County Council to provide a detailed explanation as to why parking revenue in Castlebar remains below the levels achieved over a decade ago.

"The people of Castlebar deserve to know why a town that has grown so much is getting a poorer return from its parking system," he added.