End of free parking draws near as Council lodge North Street car park plans

The site, owned by the Department for Communities (DfC) and managed by Newry BID, has operated as an informal free car park for many years servicing the city centre business community and providing a vital lifeline for local businesses as a free car park for both workers and customers.

It was understood that a portion of the left hand side of the site was being allocated for housing to replace the now vacant flats in Clare House at the foot of High Street which are to be demolished. However, the council's application is for the full site.

It is expected that North Street itself, riddled with potholes but currently accommodating approximately 75 cars parking for free per weekday on both sides, will be upgraded but whether free parking will remain is unknown.

Pay and display car park

At a recent meeting of the Newry City Regeneration Programme Board, management informed councillors that in line with off street car park charges, it was assumed North Street would be charged - in other words, the free car parking would be replaced by a council pay and display facility.

Areas for pay and display machines are marked on planning drawings.

The free car parking at North Street is a rare benefit for city centre businesses, and its removal will be another blow to an already under pressure community who get little in return for their high business rates - there was a 10.4% increase this year. They don’t get their bins emptied for free having to pay a fee for that service.

The removal of the free car park by the council, will also have a major impact on workers who, for anyone employed on a five-day week, working eight hours a day, will have to find over £950 a year to pay for parking at North Street

Privilege

The irony is that not only will ratepayers be paying for the development of a new North Street car park - the costs of which are unknown - and then be charged to use it, they will also be paying for a new car park in Cecil Street.

The Cecil Street car park is free, however it is only free to use for council staff working in the proposed new council offices behind Newry Cathedral.

Ratepayers will also have the privilege of paying for the shuttle service that is expected to be laid on to transport the staff between their cars and the offices at the other side of the city centre.