Parking charges to be reduced in Magherafelt for Christmas shopping

Mid Ulster District Council has revealed details of a car parking Christmas scheme for shoppers, with parking reduced to 10p for three hours in every pay and display car park in Dungannon and Magherafelt.
By The Newsroom
Published 8th Nov 2015, 15:45 BST
Northern Ireland- 18th April 2012 Mandatory Credit - Photo-Jonathan Porter/Presseye. Parking fines to increase by 50% in Northern Ireland. The maximum penalty for illegal street parking in Northern Ireland is set to increase from £60 to £90 and from £30 to £45 if the penalty is paid within 14 days. A traffic warden pictured on Linenhall Street in Belfast City Centre.Northern Ireland- 18th April 2012 Mandatory Credit - Photo-Jonathan Porter/Presseye. Parking fines to increase by 50% in Northern Ireland. The maximum penalty for illegal street parking in Northern Ireland is set to increase from £60 to £90 and from £30 to £45 if the penalty is paid within 14 days. A traffic warden pictured on Linenhall Street in Belfast City Centre.
Northern Ireland- 18th April 2012 Mandatory Credit - Photo-Jonathan Porter/Presseye. Parking fines to increase by 50% in Northern Ireland. The maximum penalty for illegal street parking in Northern Ireland is set to increase from £60 to £90 and from £30 to £45 if the penalty is paid within 14 days. A traffic warden pictured on Linenhall Street in Belfast City Centre.

The special price promotion, which represents an investment of more than £23K in the area’s town centres, will run for 6 weeks from Saturday 28 November through to Saturday, January 9.

The ability to influence parking charges and introduce price changes follows the transfer of responsibility for off-street parking to Councils in April and is intended, as Chair of the Council, Councillor Linda Dillon, said, to boost town centre trade at one of the busiest times of the year.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

“Accessible car parking, both in terms of cost and convenience, is a key factor affecting the vibrancy and vitality of town centres,” said the council chairperson.

“With our new responsibility for off-street car parking, the Council has an opportunity to help enhance the attractiveness of our town centres as places to shop in one of the busiest trading periods”.

Explaining why a nominal fee was being charged, she said: “Past experience shows that when car parking goes from being charged to free, then the most convenient spaces closest to the main commercial trading area can be taken early in the morning by ‘all day parkers’ to the disadvantage of visitors and shoppers.

“The very small tariff balances the need to make our town centre car parks attractive, while ensuring that vital car parking spaces are available”.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

The 10p for 3 hours parking in all pay and display car parks begins on Saturday 28 November and ends on Saturday 9 January. Off street car parking in Cookstown town centre is free of charge.

For more information visit www.midulstercouncil.org/parkfor10p.

Related topics:Mid Ulster District CouncilCouncil