One of the Traffic Attentants on duty in Enniskillen
HOW do you help the struggling Enniskillen high street and solve the car parking problems at the same time? Why follow the example of Swindon of course!
The novel solution comes from SDLP councillor John O’Kane. He feels that the problems with parking charges affecting retail trade in the high street could be rectified by adopting some of the initiatives now in place in the English town.
Citing a recent article he read in Drive magazine in the Sunday Times, Mr O’Kane explained how Swindon was eliminating traffic regulations, calling the town a ‘driving utopia’.
“They have taken a deliberate steps to make the town car friendly and to attract town visitors.
“Traffic wardens are judged on how few tickets they issue and not the other way round.”
“They have reduced the number of parking attendants and they are instructing traffic wardens to issue as few tickets as possible and are giving advice to motorists.
“If for example someone was in the wrong space and if they had overstayed their welcome they would be helpful.
“The council in Swindon are not a crowd of loony lefties there was a business case made which showed the town centre was suffering and they decided to make the town motor friendly.”
As well as a more laissez faire attitude adopted by car parking attendants “If you’re loading or unloading, even if you’re just picking up a pizza the Traffic Management Act says you can park on a double yellow line,” explained Ray Read, Swindon’s chief parking warden.
“The rationale in Swindon is to attract car-borne shoppers with an ease of access and peace of mind not currently enjoyed in Enniskillen.
“This decision wasn’t taken on a whim, it was a calculated move looking at promoting the town as motor friendly and a place for people to come. There are certainly some nuggets we could mine for our own benefit.”
These new ideas could yet be adopted locally as with the proposed ‘super council’ set for 2015, off street and on street parking could soon come under the remit of the new amalgamated Fermanagh Omagh entity.
“In the present situation people are fearful, there is no latitude. The traffic wardens are there to catch you out. People at check-outs and in stores can be detained longer than they think and then they are getting tickets. It is sickening and I have been caught myself.
“People are coming up from the south too and they are not used to it and they are being discouraged. I don’t think we present a very friendly image to people coming in to the town.
In regards to the plight facing the high street, Mr O’Kane noted that it is not just the impact of out of town shopping centres that is a cause for concern.
“In actual fact Internet shopping is a bigger threat. What is the answer? There needs to be sit down talks how they can fight back. Every opportunity should be explored to make the town centre accessible to people.”
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