Another blow for motorists as car park charges go up

CHARGES in Lisburn car parks are to go up by 10p an hour from this Monday, Roads Service has announced.

With petrol at record high prices, it was confirmed prices Antrim Street, Barrack Street, Governors Road, Laganbank Road, Longstone Street Roundabout, Queens Road and Smithfield Square will all be hiked.

A DRD spokesperson said: “The car park increases will generally raise the tariffs by 10p per hour and will be rolled out across Northern Ireland on an incremental basis over the next few weeks. The increases will encourage turnover of car parking spaces which will help to improve traffic management and promote the commercial and tourist vitality of our towns. Legislation for this increase was approved by the Assembly in March 2011 and this has been advertised in the local press. This is the first tariff rise in a number of years, some have not increased in 12 years, and the increases will bring charges closer to private sector car parking prices. This will contribute towards the cost of Roads Service parking operations. Roads Service currently manages 132 charged car parks across Northern Ireland; 123 of these car parks will have the tariffs increased, six will stay the same, and three will have reduced tariffs.”