SDLP Infrastructure Spokesperson Mark H Durkan MLA has called for action to deliver residents’ parking schemes to address parking issues plaguing residents in areas like Rosemount and Duncreggan Road, in Derry.
In a response to Mr Durkan, Infrastructure Minister O’Dowd stated that a report on a pilot scheme in the Holylands, Belfast which was initially put forward in 2007, will be published soon. The potential development of any additional schemes is contingent on this review.
Raising the matter during Members’ Statements in the Assembly on Monday 21st October 2024, Mr Durkan said: “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 city, placing added strain on residential areas.
“While it’s great to see that slow and steady growth in the North West, public transport and general connectivity has not kept step in terms of accessibility or affordability.
“We need to offer opportunities that will get people out of their cars and drive that modal shift.
“Minister O’Dowd has confirmed the review of residents’ parking scheme pilot, in Belfast’s Rugby Road will be published ‘soon.’ So where is it?
“This pilot began 8 years ago and was in the pipeline a decade or more before that.
“I understood that no scheme in Derry would be progressed until this pilot and a scheme in the Bogside had been progressed.
“Parking in the area continues to be a problem; in fact, it’s become more so. In those intervening 8 years, areas like Rosemount, Duncreggan, and Windsor Terrace have become impassable – for residents, access to a space, even in a neighbouring street, is a luxury.
“This more than just an amenity- competing for a space near your home can be exhausting.
“It makes tasks like unloading groceries or prams a nightmare and strips people of their independence.
“I’d one constituent in tears over the daily battle that practically forced them into self-isolation, in an attempt to avoid parking stress.
“It’s long past time to prioritise the needs of local residents, offering them a degree of parking security.
“As we look to develop our cities, we must that resident parking schemes are a feature in our city centres in tandem with public transport strategies.
“The Minister must publish his findings urgently and work to explore other areas in Derry, crying out for such a provision.”
Tags: