Strabane car park evening closure arrangement to deter 'boy racers'

In 2017, members approved restricting access to the Canal Basin (Dock Street) car parks from 6.30pm to 8.30am.

However in 2023, and following a request from Strabane Business Improvement District (BID) on behalf of retailers in the area, members agreed that the car parks would remain open.

At this month’s Business and Culture Committee meeting, an officer told members that there had been a recurrence of anti-social behaviour with cars “gathering, rallying and exhaust pipes blowing out.”

“This activity had become a daily occurrence which resulted in officers receiving a complaint from a local resident,” they said. “In consultation with local Councillors the decision was taken in December to once again close the Canal Basin Car parks each night.

“Signage was installed and the car parks have been closed each evening from December 23.”

Members were presented with three options to deal with the issue: keeping the car park open, while liaising with the PSNI to discourage anti-social behaviour; agreeing to a permanent closure time of 8.30pm to 7.30am; or the installation of CCTV cameras on-site, with an initial cost to council of £10,000 and a recurring annual cost of £2,500.

Sinn Féin councillor Brian Harte proposed closing the car park in the evenings, but conceded that it wasn’t an “ideal solution”.

“As part of the Sinn Féin team in Strabane, we have had multiple meetings with the PSNI in relation to this particular issue,” he said.

“It is down their priority list – when they have things like a domestic violence, violence against women, and road traffic incidents – so they can’t be there all the time to police this particular issue.

“It has become such a nuisance to local residents in the area.

“As somebody that lives in the town, I can hear these boy racers myself going round and round, so it would be option two that I would be inclined to go for.

“We can review it in a year’s time and see if maybe the CCTV would be a better option.”

Independent councillor Raymond Barr said: “Residents are telling me that anti-social behaviour has decreased by 99 percent since the car park was closed.

“In terms of objections from retailers, the new closing time of 8.30pm would suit most retailers down there.”

Andrew Balfour,

Local Democracy Reporter.