Belfast: Green light for Holyland residents parking scheme
- Published
Rugby Road in south Belfast is one of the streets which will be subject to the new parking scheme
A residents' parking scheme for part of the Holyland in south Belfast has been given the go ahead by the Roads Minister, Chris Hazzard.
College Park Avenue and Rugby Road will have a mixture of parking spaces for residents as well as pay and display zones.
It is understood residents will face a charge of £30 for a permit.
The scheme will provide 117 parking spaces for residents and 127 pay and display spaces.
These will be supplemented with short stay parking spaces on Rugby Road and a loading bay in Carmel Street to facilitate local businesses.
Consultation
The Department for Infrastructure said the scheme will move to the next stage of consultation in the coming weeks and could be in place by next summer.
Many commuters park in the area, leaving their cars from early in the morning to late into the evening.
This means that residents can struggle to find a parking space close to their homes.
Bríd Ruddy of College Park Resident's Association is welcoming plans for resident's parking in the Holyland area of Belfast
Bríd Ruddy, chair of the College Park Avenue Residents' Association, said: "We are absolutely delighted this has happened. It is long overdue and we hope it marks the start of parking schemes for residents in the whole of Belfast.
"This will be a parking scheme for everyone in the area, everybody will benefit."
Mr. Hazzard said: "Residents of south Belfast have long voiced their concerns about parking in their local area.
"The issue of all-day commuter parking is one faced by other communities and earlier this year I announced a similar scheme for the Rossville Street area in Derry.
"I am continuing to look at this issue to see what other schemes can be brought forward to address what is a very real concern for many people living in our towns and cities.
"My department has also consulted on a scheme for the Lower Malone area. However, due to the number of objections, in particular, the high number from businesses located in the Lower Malone area, I am unable to progress it at this stage," he added.
The Green Party in Northern Ireland deputy leader, Clare Bailey MLA, welcomed the news:
"The announcement of this scheme is a major step forward, and if the consultation and this scheme prove successful, I hope that new residents' parking schemes are rolled out more widely across south Belfast and beyond."