By Annie Flynn
OUTRAGE has sparked across social media recently at the increase of parking charges in Enniskillen with prices jumping over 275-per-cent from £1.20 to £4.50 per day.
On March 4, Fermanagh and Omagh District Council agreed to increase the cost of parking at the Quay Lane South and Shore Road West car parks in Enniskillen and New Brighton Terrace car park in Omagh.
The prices which initially were 40p every three hours have increased to 40p per hour.
One comment posted online, “It’s terrible considering that the carpark is used by a lot of people that are working in Enniskillen.
“The rise is a big chunk out of your weekly/monthly wage. In turn wages aren’t increasing by the same percentage.”
Another comment expressed concerns over the effect it would have on people visiting Enniskillen to shop.
They stated, “How would people want to come to Enniskillen to shop or visit with prices like that? It’s no wonder people choose to shop online.”
A ‘call in’ over the decision was made by six UUP councillors on the council.
It was made on the basis that it would elevate congestion at certain times.
In the UUP submission, the councillors claimed the decision around the car parking charges were made without giving ‘full and proper consideration’ to the potential impact on local businesses.
Manager of Enniskillen BID Noelle McAloon expressed her concern.
She said, “We expressed our disappointment that the report went in front of council without any business consultation. We as a BID wrote to the council asking them not to approve the report.”
“We can see the outrage expressed on social media comments since the car parking has been increased.”
Ms McAloon believes there wasn’t any proper or structured justified reason for the council to increase the charges at this particular moment.
In March, employers also had to take on an increase an national insurance contributions, while the cost of living prices are still on the rise.
She went on, “Our car parking remains affordable compared to other towns. We are lucky in Enniskillen to have an abundance of car parking but that doesn’t make it any better that the council made this decision in the current the economic climate.”
She also spoke on the potential impact this could have on local businesses, a strongly anticipated question from the general public.
She stated, “Whether it has an impact on businesses is something I can’t yet be certain on and only time will tell. What I do know is that they should have rejected it until they had fair input from the business community.
“This does not help our job which is to present our town in the vibrant and excellent manner in which it is,” she concluded
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