Agenda item

            The Director of City and Neighbourhood Services reminded the Committee that, in the period leading up to Christmas 2015, the Council had suspended charging in its off street car parks all day Saturday and after 6.00 pm on week days, in an effort to encourage visitors into the city centre. He pointed out that the Council’s car parking spaces accounted for only a small proportion of the overall spaces in the City. 

            He advised the Members that Translink and the Department for Infrastructure (DfI) had contacted the Council to raise concerns that offering free car parking in the lead up to Christmas in 2015 had had a significantly detrimental impact on the reliability and punctuality of their services and, subsequently, on traffic flow and congestion within the city.  They stated that they believed that the offer of free parking in the 1500 spaces within Council-owned car parks had resulted in cars queuing for the limited spaces available or circling the city centre looking for a free space. 

            In its correspondence, Translink had advised the Members that the costs to its business in terms of the extra resources required was estimated at £250,000, in addition to the lost fare box revenue as a result of fewer passengers on services in 2015 in comparison to 2014.

            The Director advised the Committee that Translink and the DfI had suggested incentivising public transport as an alternative to free car parking in order to prevent congestion and make it easier for all consumers, including car users, to use the city centre in the lead up to Christmas in 2016.

            During discussion, a Member welcomed the suggestion from Translink and DfI, and highlighted that evidence suggested cities with freer flowing traffic and a greater reliance on sustainable public transport were more successful and attractive cities.

            A number of Members expressed concerns at the proposal not to offer free parking in the small number of Council owned car parks in Belfast.  A Member explained that some people who lived outside of Belfast were apprehensive about coming into the City to shop, particularly with the new bus lanes, and that using public transport was not always practical, especially when purchasing larger items.  A further Member added that towns outside of Belfast often advertised their free parking and lack of traffic in a bid to encourage consumers out of Belfast and that the Council should be cautious in appearing to be ‘anti-car’.

            At the request of a Member, the Committee agreed to an early review of the current arrangements for those car parks that DRD had transferred to Belfast City Council in 2014 (and any others) to involve synchronising their operations; rationalising opening days and hours; re-assessing the hourly and maximum charge rates; reviewing the monthly and quarterly season ticket charges; and modernising their names, livery and look.

After discussion, the Committee agreed also that:

·        the Council would work in collaboration with Translink and the Department for Infrastructure to support the attractive Christmas transport proposals which would support greater choice for shoppers and tourists and have a positive impact in increasing footfall into the city as an alternative to Council offering free car parking; and

·        the opening hours for Smithfield car park would be extended this year, and in future years, to cover the Christmas late night shopping period, with the set tariff applying, with all other Council-owned car parks, including Bankmore Street, available for use at all times.