Free Christmas parking arrangements agreed for Trim

Arrangments for this year’s free Christmas parking initiative to help boost business in Trim were agreed at this week’s local town council meeting.
This year for the first time, as well as offering free parking in local car parks in the run up to Christmas, councillors have decided to extend it into January to allow shoppers free parking for the January sales also.
The town council car parks in Trim will be free each Saturday in December and the first two in January, as well as Friday, 20th December, Monday 23rd December and Christmas Eve.
It was also agreed that the ten minute ‘grace’ free parking period would be extended to 30 minutes from 16th December to 4th January.
Town Clerk Fiona Skehan explained last year they agreed that if all parking in the town was free, people would park and go off to Dublin on the bus all day and hold up spaces. 
The motion regarding the free parking over the Christmas parking was put forward by Cllr Trevor Golden and after a discussion it was decided that car parks would be free on 7th, 14th, 20th, 21st, 23rd, 24th December and 4th and 11th January.
Cllr Noel French suggested they extend the ten minutes grace to 30 minutes over the Christmas period, and this was also agreed.

Meanwhile, Santa will visit Trim on Saturday, 30th November in an event organised by Trim Chamber of Commerce.

Santa will arrive at Market Square on his special sleigh where he will meet all the local children from 2pm to 4pm. The cathaoirleach of Trim Town Council, James O’Shea will switch on Christmas tree lights. There will be mulled wine and mince pies at this free event. “We will have music and some carol singers on the day” said Chamber President Noel French. “We are holding this during business hours in order to encourage shoppers to shop in Trim this Christmas.”