Anger at impact of clamping in Athlone's Inish House area

A Ballymore woman has hit out at the lack of signage and warning of clamping in the Inish House area of Golden Island after she was left stranded in the town for four hours before gathering the €100 needed to release her car. Speaking to the Westmeath Independent on Monday, Lorraine Scott explained that she had popped in to a nearby cafe for breakfast, having previously parked there some weeks ago in the area for free, only to find when she came out her car was clamped. The spaces where she left her car are now marked parking for permit holders only, although the small car park fronting out onto Irishtown in between Supermacs and Paws Pet Shop is pay and display parking. It's a situation that is causing confusion among the public. Both areas were up to some time ago free parking. "There were just two silly wee signs and none coming in" Lorraine said angrily. "I'm a lone parent, I don't have €100. I had to phone a friend with a credit card number to get the clamp off," Lorraine said. "There were no machines this side. I thought it was free. I never noticed the signs. I was only parked there half an hour." She added: "People need to know what is happening there. He clamped four or five other cars while I was here. The amount of people I've told today coming in that did not know. That would have worked out at €100 a car," she complained. Meanwhile, Gráinne Rogers from nearby Koztello Hair Salon, Inish House, Golden Island, called the current parking situation "ridiculous" and said it was not good for business in the area. Spaces in front of their salon are for permit holders only. "The signs are tiny, you wouldn't find them unless you looked for them. They really blend in. Everyone thinks it's free parking," she said. "We had a girl in here last week she paid €120 for her hair and then went out to find her car clamped and had to pay another €100. Another lady just popped in make an appointment and was clamped during that time," she fumed. It's understood workers in area who want to park there will have to fork out €200 for a permit while residents will pay €50 parking in the area. It's now €3 a day to leave your car in the park fronting out on to Irishtown area. A number of other businesses in area who did not wish to named said up to ten cars were clamped on Monday last and they now have to make a point of telling people who come in to the car park about the regulations. They said no signs were put up to indicate a change from free parking to permit or pay and display parking, pointing out that it almost came in overnight and is having a detrimental effect on trading in the area. Mark Tartaglia, owner of Always Outdoors in Inish House, said the company operating the car park was not allowing people any time to park in the spaces in front of their premises at all. "They are just being moved on or clamped. There needs to be a little leeway," he said. "It is a problem. It's deterring people from coming in to the shop," he pointed out, adding that his business partner had spoken to the parking attendant who said he was only following his instructions. Mr Tartaglia said they were attempting to get in touch with the owner and operators of the park in a bid to solve the issue. The Westmeath Independent called the APCOA Parking Ireland Ltd number on the clamping notice only to be told to ring their branch in Galway. Despite repeated attempts the number rang out and was never answered.