Pledge to support parking charges

Control of charges at off-street car parks currently operated by the Department of Regional Development will pass to the new Lisburn Castlereagh Council in April 2015.

“My party colleague and Regional Development Minister Danny Kennedy MLA recently announced a cut in off-street parking charges to £1 for five hours,” said Mr Redpath. “I have committed in my election manifesto to campaign to make this cut permanent. Last week local councillors lined up to welcome this key Ulster Unionist policy. I am calling on them to go one step further and commit to support a permanent reduction in charges when the council takes over responsibility in April 2015.

“We have had an excellent reaction from local traders to the measure.

“I believe competitive parking charges is a small but important step towards regenerating the city centre.”