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A new app, called Kerb, claims that it can ease Dublin's parking problems by allowing home owners and apartment owners to rent out their parking spaces to hassled commuters. Calling itself the 'AirBnB of parking' Kerb claims that local and city councils are actually welcoming it to new markets unlike concerns expressed over AirBnB in some circles, although it's important to note that Dublin City Council has not officially expressed any opinion about Kerb nor its services. Kerb's rationale for that is that it can potentially reduce congestion, and reduce the time lost searching for an available parking space.
On-street parking in Dublin is set to become more expensive later this year, by as much as 69 per cent in some cases, and Kerb aims to try and help users avoid those price hikes.
How does it work? A person with a spare space on their driveway simply registers with Kerb, and then just like AirBnB, users can log in, book and pay for the space, and simply roll up and park. It's pretty straightforward if you have a driveway with extra room, but apartment owners can offer spaces for use too, as electronic barriers and garage doors can be, theoretically, integrated into the app. You can choose to either specifically approve each booking, or simply apply an automatic approval to any incoming requests.
Kerb claims that using the app can save you between €10 and €40 a day on parking charges, and that it can accommodate vehicles other than cars, including motorbikes, trucks, and (so claims says Kerb) even helicopters. Good luck with that one...
Dublin resident, David Cromwell, uses Kerb. He says: "Day to day I use Kerb for city centre parking. It makes a huge difference on my time keeping knowing in advance I have a space booked close by to where I am working or have meetings with clients.
"I would encourage anyone that drives to download this app. It is very user friendly and makes a huge difference to your day when you have such a great tool in your pocket. Whether you are pre planning a trip or a last minute dash into town, Kerb always has options for your parking needs, taking that stress and worry away of being late because you can't find a space or even having no change and looking for a pay machine.
"We're really excited about the benefits that Kerb is going to have for users in Dublin", says co-founder Rob Brown. "The app allows you to list an entire car park up in minutes, and each individual bay can be customised by availability, price and vehicle type."