The thought has crossed the mind of most every driver in Dublin city: “Sure what are the chances of getting clamped?”

And the answer? Depending on where you decide to park, the chances can be quite high. Clamping statistics mapped by The Irish Times reveal that on 29 streets in the city centre cars were clamped, relocated or removed at least once per day on average in 2011, the latest year for which full figures are available.



The figures reveal that shoppers on Dublin’s north side are at most risk of being clamped. Two streets near the city centre’s biggest shopping centres, Dominick Street Lower and Jervis Street, top the list with more than two vehicles a day clamped in these areas, according to figures released by Dublin City Council.

Other hot spots include Noel Purcell Walk, a small street with a big reputation for clamping, which is again among the most-clamped city locations with 682 incidents in 2011.



Costly business



The stretch of road between Ranelagh Road and Sandford Road, running from the Luas bridge to the junction with Cullenswood Park, is listed as the fourth-most clamped area in the city with 646 clamps while Clarendon Street rounds off the top five with 596 clamps.



Other locations in the top 10 include: the South Circular Road with 584 clamps; Mespil Road where 566 vehicles were clamped; Wolfe Tone Street with 560 clamps; Ormond Quay Upper with 528 clamping incidents; and Wellington Quay with 526 clamps.



And as any driver who has had to pay to have their car released will tell you, clamping is also a costly business.



Release fee



A breakdown of clamping activity on 1,647 streets in the city centre shows that, with a release fee of €80, the top 10 most clamped streets and areas in Dublin alone cost drivers more than €500,000.



The annual figure paid in clamping-release fees issued on behalf of the city council topped €4.6 million in 2011.



Just over half of the streets listed had vehicles clamped fewer than 10 times in 2011. However, there was only one clamping incident in the year on 246 streets.



The figures differ slightly to the number of parking enforcements listed in the local authority’s annual report.



The figure in the report for all enforcements is 58,059.



The discrepancy of 330 enforcements relates to vehicles clamped, moved or impounded in 2011 but not paid for until 2012, and 2010 enforcements which were not paid for until 2011.



58,575



Vehicles clamped, relocated or removed to the city pound in 2011



55,712



Motorists accepted the sanction and did not appeal



2,926



Appeals in 2011, including 63 brought forward from 2010



2,129



Appeals declined. However, 318 received partial or full refunds, many with notes of caution, as gestures of goodwill