Belfast councillor calls for rollout of residents' car parking schemes

A Belfast councillor has made an appeal to Stormont to implement residential parking schemes following the publication of a review of a South Belfast pilot.

Botanic SDLP councillor Gary McKeown has said a review of a long-running residents' parking pilot in south Belfast "must act as a catalyst" for similar schemes across the city and other areas.

Councillor McKeown has said he secured confirmation from Infrastructure Minister John O'Dowd that the review report will finally be published.

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Councillor McKeown said: "We have seen Belfast in gridlock recently, and this isn't helped by the fact that large swathes of residential areas are basically functioning as free carparks for commuters. It's also having an impact on issues such as bin collections, deliveries and emergency services getting access.

"For over four years I have been calling for the publication of the findings of a review of a pilot residents' parking scheme that has been operating in the area behind Queen's, which would inform how similar schemes can be rolled out elsewhere in Belfast and beyond. Inexplicably this still hasn't happened, so I'm glad that the Minister has now confirmed to me that it will finally be made public soon.

"Many residents of this city are crying out for the opportunity to have parking schemes as a potential way to reduce problem parking in their areas and make it easier for them and their visitors to get parked closer to their own homes. This is particularly important for people who require visits from carers or family members.

"Residents in the part of south Belfast that has the parking scheme have reported that it has been a success. The exact model used there may need adapted to suit other areas, but this is why we need the findings of the pilot published. We need a strategic approach taken to roll out schemes more widely that work for residents, are tailored to the specific needs of communities, and don't push the problem into other areas.

"People living in neighborhoods such as Stranmillis, the Ormeau Road, the Market and the lower Lisburn Road, and indeed elsewhere in the city, have a right to pursue solutions that would work for them, and the traffic and parking problems currently being experienced across Belfast makes this even more urgent."

He added: "We need action now to make residents' parking schemes a reality. It happens in other cities and isn't rocket science.

"Some communities may also decide that residents' parking isn't for them, but they should have that choice. These schemes are not going to be a silver bullet that will resolve everything, but they should be part of a package of options available to support communities.

"So it is essential that this review is accompanied by firm plans for rolling out residents' parking schemes that could work for different areas."

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