Minister commits to progressing Derry residents' parking schemes for Bogside and Magee area

The Residents’ Parking Review report, published on Friday, considered a number of key issues on the delivery and implementation of Residents’ Parking Schemes, with the Minister subsequently committing to progress the Bogside Residents’ Parking scheme and another to tackle issues with parking for residents in the vicinty of the Magee campus.

Welcoming the report, Minister O’Dowd said the Rugby Road residents’ parking scheme review confirmed “that these schemes can work to the benefit of communities whose daily lives are blighted by all-day commuter parking”.

“The review also looked at our approach to providing schemes and highlights some of the challenges that the Department has faced trying to deliver schemes. From the lessons learnt it sets out a pathway to make the delivery of schemes to help other communities more straightforward.

"More schemes will also help to persuade those who currently drive into our towns and cities and park all day, to use more active or sustainable modes of transport.

“Going forward my Department will continue to develop the schemes already commenced such as in the Bogside in Derry and Iveagh area of Belfast, and will give consideration to schemes to address the emerging pressures with on-street parking in the vicinity of the new Ulster University campus in Belfast and the Magee campus."

Mr O’Dowd asked all drivers “to think about others when parking their vehicle”.

"Inconsiderate parking, particularly when it is on the pavement, can negatively impact all pavement users forcing them into oncoming traffic, including people with disabilities, older people, children and people pushing prams, so please ‘Think Before You Park’.”

Derry MLA and SDLP Infrastructure spokesperson Mark H Durkan welcomed the report but said further action is needed to tackle perennial parking issues across city centre areas.

Mr Durkan said he lamented the lack of detail around the expansion of Residents’ Parking schemes elsewhere in the North.

The Foyle MLA commented: “This review is welcome although I regret the length of time it took to get here. In the intervening 17 years the landscape of our city centres and the number of cars on our roads has changed drastically.

“For years, constituents have been dealing with the daily challenges of finding parking near their homes due to congestion from commuters, shoppers, students and visitors. Those pressures have increased with the expansion of our cities, placing added strain on residential areas. Streets in university areas are chock-a-block every day of the week.

"The Minister states that he’ll consider alternative options for university areas including pay and display zones but this kind of thinking is too narrow, it’s important that purported solutions don’t have an adverse impact on residents. We need to see improvements in public transport links and wider use of park and rides that bring students to and from campus. Ironically, buses are unable to use Duncreggan Road in Derry during the week due to the volume of parked cars there.

“It’s time to see the colour of the departments’ money. We want to see the expansion of the Residents’ Parking Scheme but that shouldn’t mean that protracted issues with parking across cities can be put on the long finger.”

"There are plenty of short-term measures that can be taken in the interim. The department must be more innovative and offer opportunities that will get people out of their cars and drive that modal shift.

"As we look to develop our cities, we must ensure that resident parking schemes are a feature in tandem with public transport strategies. I would encourage people to get in touch with SDLP offices about parking concerns as we will be pushing the Minister to deliver for areas crying out for solutions to their parking woes.”