Car parking fines for worshippers blasted

Car parking fines for worshippers blasted

20 March 2019

PARKING regulators have been severely criticised after a number of worshippers attending Monday’s cross-community St Patrick’s Day service at Down Cathedral were given parking tickets.

It is understood that as many as 14 cars parked on a single yellow line at English Street in Downpatrick had tickets slapped on their windscreens by a traffic warden.

The service, which includes a wreath-laying ceremony at the patron saint’s grave, attracts several hundred people and is one of the most high profile events during the St Patrick’s celebrations.

The Dean of Down, the Very Rev Henry Hull and Downpatrick councillor, Dermot Curran, said they were “disappointed” that so many cars were ticketed.

Dean Hull said: “I believe the traffic warden had been informed that the cars belonged to people who were attending a service in the cathedral.

“It is also my understanding that the warden is reported to have said that it ‘was his job’ to put tickets on the vehicles.”

Cllr Curran, who attended the service, said it was a “disgrace” that the cars were ticketed and called for the penalties to be quashed.

He said it was rather ironic that the theme for the service, which was attended by clergy from Africa and Egypt, was the “persecuted church”.

Cllr Curran declared: “It could be argued that those who were given parking tickets were persecuted for attending the service and I hope that common sense will prevail and people who attended service will not have to pay hefty fines.

“The cross-community service and wreath-laying ceremony at the patron saint’s grave is one of the highlights of the St Patrick’s celebrations but I have no doubt that those who unfortunately were given a parking ticket were in no mood to celebrate.”

He continued: “People from all walks of life and faiths came together to worship in unity at a service which is held in high regard by people across Northern Ireland and beyond.

“Worshippers come from near and far to take part. It is very disappointing that a number were landed with parking tickets on a street where their vehicles were not causing any disruption or blocking footpaths.

“I could fully understand it if the vehicles that were ticketed were causing an obstruction, but this was simply not the case. What happened on Monday was a total disgrace. Cars were not abandoned, but parked in single file and in an orderly fashion.

“Sometimes in life all that is required is some good old fashioned common sense and I hope that will be the case next year.”

A spokesman for the Department for Infrastructure had not responded to the Recorder’s request for a response before going to press.