Blue Badge spaces available at Blessing of the Graves service

Concerns had been raised by elected members about access to the site at this week’s Environment and Regeneration Committee.

Following discussions on Friday between Council and a Church representative, arrangements will now be put in place to accommodate 123 vehicles at the designated parking areas only.

The places will be allocated on a first come first served basis to current Blue Badge holders and can be booked from 12noon on Monday, June 19, by emailing [email protected]

When booking online please provide a name, Vehicle Registration Number, and evidence of a current valid Blue Badge – any submissions without this information will be considered invalid.

In a joint statement from the Council and the Church, a spokesperson said: “With thousands of people expected to attend the Blessing of the Graves event, safety is the number one priority when visiting the City Cemetery.

"To ensure the event runs safely and smoothly, we must put in place measures to keep vehicular access to a minimum and keep pedestrians safe at all times.

“It has been agreed that 123 spaces throughout the cemetery can be made available to accommodate those with a disability that prevents them from walking from the other accessible parking sites.

“We would ask that people using these spaces arrive at least an hour before the service as gates will close promptly at 2pm, and no vehicles will be allowed access after this time, even if a parking space has been booked.

"A number of other measures will be in place to keep pedestrians safe on the day and we would appeal to people to adhere to the advice of stewards at all times.

“Please keep in mind that you may still have to walk some distance to reach family graves and make provision for this. Visitors parking outside the cemetery, please park in appropriate areas and be considerate of people living in the area. Do not block roadways, footpaths or gateways when parking."

Blue Badge holders will have access to six spaces at the top of the cemetery and the remainder will be located at the middle and lower sections.

These will be allocated on a first come first served basis and it will not be possible to reserve a space in a particular area. Once on site, vehicles will remain there until the crowds have dispersed which, it’s estimated, will be approximately 30 minutes after the service finishes.

Access to the cemetery for all vehicles will be from the lower gate of the Cemetery at the Lone Moor Road. There will be no vehicle access to the cemetery from 12pm to facilitate preparations for the service. Access will only be given to those who have registered with gates remaining open until 2pm.

A number of accessible parking spaces will also be available for Blue Badge Holders at St Mary’s Church, Creggan, St Cecilia’s College and Celtic Park. Access to these sites will only be given to vehicles that display a current Disability Blue Badge Permit.

Anyone who wishes to book a space within the cemetery can do so online at [email protected] and for further information go to https://www.derrystrabane.com/cemeterysunday

Blessing of the graves in Derry City Cemetery: Details confirmed