Public events to discuss hike in parking charges

Public events to discuss hike in parking charges

17 October 2018

A SERIES of public events are to take place to provide ratepayers with an opportunity to make known their views on the controversial decision to hike car parking charges in Downpatrick and Ballynahinch.

Newry, Mourne and Down Council has this week unveiled details of a three-pronged approach as part of a detailed consultation exercise on an issue which has angered many within the business community.

Alongside planned public roadshows next month in Downpatrick, Newcastle, Ballynahinch, Castlewellan and Saintfield, council officials are also launching an on-line user survey.

In addition, data from car parks which experienced a 200% price increase in the spring is being collated to determine the full impact of the increase.

Business owners have warned the increased charges are having a negative impact on trade since the new tariff of 40 pence per hour was introduced at the Irish Street, Church Street and Scotch Street car parks in Downpatrick and at the Lisburn Street and Windmill Street car parks in Ballynahinch.

Office workers who used the Church Street and Scotch Street car parks previously paid 40p for three hours, while an eight hour ticket cost £1.20. Under the new charging regime, the price of an eight hour ticket has risen to £3.60.

Office staff who previously used the Scotch Street car park are now parking elsewhere because the price hike has increased their weekly parking bill to £18. 

The local council has defended its decision to increase parking charges, insisting the move is necessary to generate additional revenue as it has been handed responsibility for the maintenance of 80 car parks across the Newry, Mourne and Down area. Previously, the Department for Infrastructure was responsible.

Business owners in Downpatrick and Ballynahinch argue it would have been better to have retained the previous charges as the car parks were well used. They are also concerned that car parks in Crossgar, Saintfield, Newcastle and Castlewellan are free to use.

Traders say the increased charges are driving shoppers away and hope the consultation exercise will result in the price hike being axed to help restore consumer confidence.

Details of the three-pronged consultation exercise will be outlined at tonight’s meeting of Newry, Mourne and Down Council’s Regulatory and Technical Services Committee.

A number of politicians say they share the concern of traders in Downpatrick and Ballynahinch that shoppers in other parts of the district do not have to pay to use council parks, particularly in Newcastle and Saintfield.

Within days of the price hike being introduced earlier this year, traders in Downpatrick reported a decrease in trade and expressed concern that  they were not consulted about the price increase.

Downpatrick councillor Dermot Curran is encouraging the business community to make the most of next month’s roadshows being organised as part of the consultation exercise.

He is also perplexed as to why it is free to park in some towns in the district and not in others, suggesting there would appear to be an equality issue that needs to be addressed.

Cllr Curran added: “Business owners tell me that they have noticed a decrease in footfall since the car park charges were increased. We cannot afford to drive shoppers away from our district and should be doing all we can to encourage them to come here, spend their money and support the local economy.

“I will be very interested to see the usage figures for the car parks in Downpatrick since the charges were increased. They will tell the true story, but a cursory look at what is currently  happening in Church Street and Scotch Street leads me to deduce that they are not as busy as they used to be.”

The first of next month’s roadshows takes place between 6pm and 7pm at the Down Arts Centre in Downpatrick on Tuesday, November 6. 

The roadshow moves to The Lodge in Castlewellan on Tuesday, November 13, between 5.30pm and 6.30pm and then heads to the Newcastle Centre on the same night between 8pm and 9pm.

Ballynahinch’s Market House hosts the roadshow on Tuesday, November 20, between 5.30pm and 6.30pm, before moving to The Hub in Saintfield later the same evening between 8pm and 9pm. People in Crossgar are being encouraged to attend the event in Saintfield.