Free Christmas parking approved for Athlone

Members of Athlone Moate Municipal District have given the seal of approval to a plan to provide free parking in the busy week leading up to Christmas in an effort to attract more shoppers into the town centre in the critical pre-Christmas period.

The plan was approved at the November meeting of the council and will run from Saturday, December 16 to the following Saturday, December 23 inclusive.

Deputy Mayor of the municipal district, Cllr Paul Hogan, proposed that the free parking initiative be operated from December 17 to 24, in line with last year, but Cllr Aengus O'Rourke disagreed and said the initiative should run for a full seven days in the lead-up to Christmas, which was accepted by the meeting.

The free parking will operate in the six town centre car parks operated by Westmeath County Council. Motorists are advised that they will still be required to park for parking at all privately-owned car parks in Athlone , and also along 'on-street' pay zones during Christmas week.

Free parking was provided in all six town centre car parks in Athlone from December 17 to 24 inclusive in 2022, and the long-running Christmas parking concession has been in operation in the town since 2009.