Bikers’ plea: ‘Where can we park inLisburn city centre’

One local biker, Phil Holmes, said there was concern for riders over where they could securely park their bikes now that the space on land between the Halifax Building Society and R.E. Gibb Hair Salon was off limits.

Phil explained: “I have been riding a motorbike for 24 years and have always used that area to park when I come into Lisburn to do any errands or go to the bank.

“A friend of mine drew my attention to the sign and I could see it isn’t Roads Service sign, it looks like somebody’s private sign. I was just wondering why all of a sudden we are not allowed to park there? Is this from the Roads Service or Council, or is it a private business which has put this here?

“I’ve been told you can park in bays around the town for free but it would be good to get clarification where you can and cannot park in the city.

“There is no real secure parking in Lisburn. Obviously there is more benefit to parking and chaining up your bike than parking and leaving it; it doesn’t take much to move a bike. Councils on the mainland provide free secure parking for motorcycles, are there plans afoot to make secure parking here?”

Phil added: “I have heard that the access to a business in Graham Gardens was blocked by some motorcyclists recently and that is why the sign went up. If this is the case then we can only apologise but we can’t be held responsible for the actions of others. If they don’t want us parking there we have to respect their wishes, but we don’t park outside their door and we never have done.”

Jeff Gibb, the co-owner of R.E. Gibb Hair Salon said the sign had been erected by the salon recently.

Mr Gibb stated: “A few weeks ago a guy got on a bike and drove past the shop as a lady was coming out and he almost knocked her down. We didn’t know if she was going to claim off him or us on the shop insurance so we have done this for our own protection and the protection of our customers.

“A few guys nip across the car park as a short cut to McKeown Street to come out onto Antrim Street, so if they are taking short cuts then this is what can happen. There are hundreds of car parking spaces in the city. We don’t want anyone walking out of our salon and getting an arm or a leg broken.”

A DRD spokesperson said: “There is currently no dedicated motorcycle parking in Lisburn. A driver wishing to park a motorcycle in any of our off-street car parks in Lisburn can do so free of charge. With regard to on-street car parking, motorcycles are treated in the same way as cars and must park in accordance with any restrictions present. Where there is a charge for an on-street parking space, the motorcycle driver must pay the appropriate tariff and, as with any vehicle, it must park wholly within a bay.

“Roads Service cannot guarantee the security of any vehicle parking on or off-street in any city or town across the whole of Northern Ireland.”