UTS Technologies disputes Galway City Council figures on parking system costs

The Council’s report states that the annual operating cost of the Pay and Display system was €350,861 in 2022, €412,102 in 2023 and €412,696 in 2024.

It puts the average annual operating cost between 2022 and 2024 at approximately €392,000.

The Council report describes the former Pay and Display system as involving parking machines, cash collection services, machine maintenance contracts, energy and utility costs, software support contracts and administrative and operational staff resources.

The report records a cost of €245,096 for 2025, which it describes as a transition year during which parking machines were progressively removed from service.

UTS Technologies disputed the Council’s figures.

“The claim by Galway City Council that it cost up to €400,000 per annum to operate its pay & display parking system from 2022 to 2025 is completely false and untrue,” UTS Technologies said.

“The parking machines in Galway City were solar powered and all maintenance services, including software upgrades, ticket replacements and repair services were included as part of the overall service contract, which was a fraction of the claimed cost.”

The Council states that savings associated with the move to the Digital Plus system arise primarily from eliminating or reducing costs including parking machine maintenance and cash collection contracts, electricity, software and support services, ticket stock and machine consumables, replacement of ageing parking infrastructure and administrative resources.

UTS Technologies also disputed the Council’s position on parking revenues following the removal of the machines.

“The reality is that Galway City Council are now attempting to justify the removal of pay & display machines in Galway City despite a significant collapse in parking revenues over the past 12 months when the machines have not been active,” UTS Technologies said in their statement.

Council figures show paid-parking income stood at €3.30 million in 2024 before falling to €2.81 million in 2025.

Between January and July 2026, €1.96 million was received in paid-parking income, with the Council giving an annualised estimate of €3.35 million for the full year.

“The parking revenues quoted by Galway City Council for the first half of 2026 have only improved as the Council introduced a double-digit increase in parking fares over the past year,” UTS Technologies said.

The hourly parking tariff increased from €2 to €2.50 from January 1, while the daily charge at the Dyke Road and Cathedral car parks increased from €6.50 to €10.

The Council’s Parking Services Update acknowledges the increase in the hourly tariff and states that when income figures are adjusted to reflect the previous charging rate, parking revenue trends are “broadly consistent with those experienced in previous years”.

The Council estimates that the Digital Plus payment system costs between €100,000 and €120,000 a year.

It says the principal financial benefit of the Digital Plus system is the reduction in operating expenditure rather than the generation of additional income.

In a statement to the Galway City Tribune, Galway City Council said:

“The cost of operating parking machines incorporates multiple aspects and does not simply relate to the cost of a maintenance contract.

“The Digital Plus parking payment system is now fully embedded within Galway City's parking operations and provides customers with multiple convenient payment options while maintaining access to cash payments through an expanded Payzone retail network.

“Over the past twelve months Galway City Council has invested significant effort in supporting the transition through enhanced communications, accessibility measures, community engagement, customer support initiatives and signage improvements.

“Customer adoption levels, payment activity, and reduced customer queries indicate that the system is now well established.

“The transition to the Digital Plus model has enabled the Council to modernise parking payment arrangements, improve customer choice and convenience, maintain accessibility for cash-paying customers, and significantly reduce operating costs.

“The Council's focus will remain on continuing the "Many Ways to Pay" information campaign, enhancing accessibility and customer support, and developing the Kerbside Management Strategy in collaboration with Elected Members and stakeholders.

“Galway City Council has won the Digital Services, Payments and Transactions Award at the 2026 Ireland eGovernment Awards for its innovative and inclusive approach to parking payments in Galway City.”

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