News Release Page Title

22 March 2007

ON-STREET PARKING IN LISBURN CITY CENTRE

Road Service today launched a public consultation on proposals to introduce on-street pay and display parking in Lisburn city centre.

On street pay and display parking will improve the vitality and viability of the city centre. The main benefits of the proposals include:

  • Increasing the efficiency and effectiveness of the existing of on-street parking spaces in the main shopping streets;

  • Reducing congestion caused by motorists driving around the city centre looking for available free parking spaces;

  • Providing better opportunities for delivery vehicles to find a convenient kerbside space by the introduction of yellow lines / loading bays; and
  • Short stay on-street parking close to shops and other places of interest will be more readily available.

Mr Eamonn McMahon, a Senior Engineer from the Department for Regional Development said: “It is estimated that on-street charged parking will have a positive impact on businesses as it will provide regular turnover of spaces, rather than most of them being occupied by one or two vehicles for most of the day. In a one hour maximum stay street, it would not be unreasonable to expect between 10–15 visitors per space per day instead of the current situation where one or two drivers may take up one space all day.’’

A tariff rate of 60p per hour is proposed. This tariff is similar to the tariffs charged in our off-street car parks close to the city centre. On-street this will mean parking may be purchased for as little as 15p in 15 minute increments up to a maximum stay of one or two hours depending on the location. This rate is substantially less than that currently charged for on-street parking in Belfast city centre.

The proposals have been welcomed by Lisburn City Council. Lisburn City Centre Management. Lisburn Chamber of Commerce and the PSNI.

NOTES TO EDITORS:

  1. The parking charge is 60p per hour. Parking can be purchased in 15 minute periods at 15p per unit.

  2. On-street parking schemes are designed to encourage short stay parking. Most streets in the Lisburn scheme are subject to a two hour limit, with one hour limits in a few of the busy shopping streets close to the centre, such as Antrim Street and Market Place.

  3. The proposed machines to be provided in Lisburn will include the following features:
    • Networking: All machines will be connected by means of mobile phone technology to a central computer. All faults are immediately reported to a system management computer enabling maintenance to be carried out without delay. At present we rely on our cash-collecting contractor to identify faults or telephone reports from traffic attendants.

    • Audit information: Each machine will also be networked to the parking office enabling complete and accurate records of all transactions to be kept.

    • Payment by Credit/Debit Card: The machines will accept payment by MasterCard, Visa, American Express and Delta cards.

    • Solar Powered: All machines will be solar powered. This will reduce significantly the disruption to shoppers and local businesses during implementation and will reduce the impact on the environment.

  4. The streets affected are:
    • Antrim Street from Bow Street to overhead railway bridge
    • Bachelors Walk
    • Bridge Street
    • Castle Street
    • Chapel Hill from Ridgeway Street to Market Place
    • Graham Gardens
    • Linenhall Street
    • Market Place
    • Market Square East
    • Market Street
    • Railway Street
    • Seymour Street from Castle Street for a distance of 180m
    • Smithfield Street
    • Smithfield Square
    • Wallace Avenue from Railway Street to Conway Street
    • Wardsborough Road

  5. More extensive details of the proposals may be viewed at the following locations during March and April 2007.

Lisburn City Council Office,
Island Civic Centre, The Island, Lisburn.

Lisburn City Centre Management Office,
3a Bridge Street, Lisburn.

The Linen Centre,
Market Square, Lisburn.

Roads Service Section Office,
40a Benson Street, Lisburn

Roads Service website, www.roadsni.gov.uk

If you would like to comment or object to the proposals, please contact Roads Service before 16 April 2007:

By e-mail to: traffic.eastern@drdni.gov.uk

By letter to:
Traffic Management 3
Roads Service Eastern Division, Hydebank,
4 Hospital Road,
Belfast, BT8 8JL

Media queries to Emma Flynn Davies, Press Office, Department for Regional Development, Tel 028 9054 0007

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