I would like to correct a number of inaccuracies in the article by Lindy
McDowell entitled 'Why council of fools should have a word with nosey
parking wardens' (Belfast Telegraph, May 10) relating to parking enforcement
in Belfast's Cathedral Quarter during the Festival of Fools event.
The comment that 'the council allowed a private company to take over a
highly lucrative and important parking operation and they can't claw it back
now' is wholly inaccurate.
Firstly, Belfast City Council is not responsible for on-street parking
enforcement. The Department for Regional Development is responsible for this
function right across the whole of Northern Ireland.
DRD Roads Service took an operational decision to contract out the
enforcement aspect of the service to an experienced parking enforcement
company, in this instance NCP Services.
NCP Services employs traffic attendants who patrol the streets and enforce
the parking restrictions put in place by Roads Service.
The enforcement rules are set by Roads Service and we remain fully in charge
of the service provided. NCP Services simply provide the service we require.
Also, the comment on traffic attendants "the more cars they 'do' the
better their commission" is completely wrong.
Individual attendants do not get any commission for the number of tickets
they issue. If they issue 1 or 100 they get paid the same. Roads Service has
stated many times that attendants are not on commission for the number of
tickets they issue.
On the issue of parking enforcement in areas such as the Cathedral Quarter
during such events, it is even more important to have effective enforcement
at such times to allow a good turnaround of spaces.
This provides more available parking and allows more people to access the
area to enjoy the festivities.
To have no parking enforcement and allow people to park where they want
would bring traffic chaos to the the whole area.
Hi: 17°C / Lw: 13°C
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