University life is a whirlwind of classes, extracurriculars, and social events. For many students, getting around campus and to off-campus destinations involves driving. However, the reality of driving and parking at college can be a significant source of stress and frustration.
One of the primary issues is the limited availability of parking spaces. DCU drivers are crying out for a solution to their parking problem. With campus parking limited and the number of students driving to DCU growing every day, we are left with a growing problem with no resolution in sight. DCU drivers have a few parking options: €2 per year for students or the Helix carpark on Glasnevin Campus for €2 per day. When purchasing an annual parking ticket, many students believe they are guaranteed a spot in the car parks. They couldn’t be more wrong.
I have spent many mornings sneakily stalking people around the carpark, hoping that they are leaving their spot like a glorious angel sent from the emptying lecture halls, only for them to toss their jackets into the passenger seat and walk away again, plunging me back to the depths of depression.
By 9 am, all of these carparks are full; at this point, many students will resign themselves to paying €2 to use the multi-storey carpark. This seems like a foolproof plan that accommodates all students looking to park on campus; however, in the four weeks we have been back on campus, the multistorey carpark has been closed due to being at capacity by 11 am in the day. This leaves hundreds of students scrambling to find a place to safely dump their cars for the day, and the local housing estates and roads have become victims of this overflow, often coming with added parking meter costs.
Much like our students, residents of Whitehall and Ballymunn alike have grown frustrated with this situation, often showing animosity towards students safely parking at the grass verges and cul-de-sacs. With many students openly saying they are uncomfortable and nervous about having to leave their cars in these estates, a solution is desperately needed.
Additionally, the parking issue can result in tardiness to classes, increased stress levels, and a general sense of inconvenience. Furthermore, the cost of parking permits can be quite high, adding to the financial burden of college life. With more parking being promised by elected officers of the student union with no sign of it being pursued, DCU students have to wonder what resolutions we can hope for?
The obvious solution to this is public transportation, but how feasible is it?
Buses in Dublin are notoriously unreliable, and ghost buses are a growing problem. With the TFI app showing buses only for them to never arrive, leaving commuters stranded at the stop, in particular, the E1, which services DCU, is in the top ten bus lines for consistently not showing according to noshow.ie. Additionally, buses and trains are often late, causing commuters to miss classes, be marked absent, or arrive late. Which can affect their grades and can cause them to be left with no seat in a lecture. These no-shows and late buses, and trains can be even worse in poor weather conditions, which Ireland is often a victim of.
The fixed schedules and routes can drag out a student’s commute; this can extend a commute from 15 minutes driving to 2 hours by public transport. This is made even worse by long evenings, especially in winter, with the dark nights and bad weather. Evening buses are often packed and not taking passengers, stranding students. Public transport commuters often feel restricted from extracurricular activities because they can’t accommodate their long trip home.
Outside of this, there can be a lot of antisocial behaviour on public transport, which is widely recognised by Transport for Ireland and Irish Rail. Despite security increases and more garda presence on public transport, many people, not just students, feel intimidated using public transport. The last thing anyone needs on their commute to work and school is to feel vulnerable.
Will DCU students be forced to “Put Up and Shut Up” or is there hope for a resolution in our future?