Enniskillen has had a high amount of parking tickets issued in the last year in comparison to other towns in Northern Ireland
STATISTICS recently released by the Department of Regional Development (DRD) for penalty tickets issued last year and the previous year show an apparent imbalance between Enniskillen and other towns west of the Bann.
As an instance, for the period, 6 December 2013 – 5 January 2014, there were 321 parking penalty tickets issued in Enniskillen compared to 182 for Omagh, and 77 for Cookstown.
And, this week, Sinn Fein Councillor for Erne West, Barry Doherty, added weight to the argument.
He referred to the number of parking tickets handed out in Enniskillen on Monday last, St Patrick’s Day.
However, a DRD spokesman denied any claim of bias.
She stated: “Traffic attendants will only issue a Penalty Charge Notices (PCN’s) where a vehicle has been observed parked in contravention”
The comparative figures for Enniskillen, Cookstown and Omagh, for 16th December-5th January last, and for the same period the previous year, confirmed by the Department For Regional Development (DRD) penalty tickets issued read as follows:
6 December 2013 – 5 January 2014
Enniskillen – 321
Cookstown – 77
Omagh – 182.
Those for the same period the previous year were:
17 December 2012 – 6 January 2013
Enniskillen – 227
Cookstown – 111
Omagh – 205
The statistics enraged Enniskillen traders, seeing it as a deterrent to would-be customers.
Joe Kelly, the chairman of the Enniskillen Business Partnership, a traders’ grouping, queried the customer service policy of the ‘red coats’.
Commenting on the stats, a DRD spokesman told the Herald: “Traffic Attendants perform a vital role in enforcing parking restrictions in town and cities across Northern Ireland to improve road safety and traffic progression and ensure a turnover of short stay parking space for shoppers and visitors.
“Traffic attendants will only issue a Penalty Charge Notices (PCN’s) where a vehicle has been observed parked in contravention”.
One area where motorists could be caught out is ignorance of the fact that parking tickets must be purchased on Bank Holidays. Sunday is the only exception.
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