Derry's Bogside residents' parking scheme to be revisited

Following a presentation by Daniel Healy, Divisional Roads Manager of DFI Roads Western Division, Sinn Féin councillor Patricia Logue said she was ‘pleased that the residents’ parking is being looked at again’.

She added: “There was an awful lot of work carried out by yourselves and community workers and there was a lot of engagement. I do feel if more work had been carried out at the time the issues could have been resolved. However, we are where we are but I’m glad to see it is on the table again because it is much, much needed.”

Mr Healy commented: “The plan is to re-engage with the residents of the Bogside and there is a meeting coming up which hopefully will see that move forward again.”

The parking scheme for residents in the area was first mooted well over a decade ago and proposals in recent years drafted have been deemed entirely unsuitable for the needs of local residents. It is understood those proposals suggested a smaller scheme than originally envisioned.

At a previous Council meeting, Harry Gallagher, Acting Divisional Manager, DfI Roads Service Western Division admitted: “Obviously the scheme we brought to the public was not wanted by them and I think we in the Department have to accept that was the case."

Last winter it emerged DFI was to hold talks with elected representatives after concerns were raised that parking congestion in the area was thwarting emergency service vehicular access.

Last December Independent Councillor and Bogside resident Sean Carr said he had witnessed an ambulance on an emergency call out struggle to access health facilities in the congested Frederick Street area, while various other local reps at the time expressed alarm that it was now a decade since the original consultation with residents.

Gillian AndersonLocal Democracy Reporter