By Ryan Sands
THE council has said that a new off-street parking order “may help address current parking challenges” in Castlewellan if it is implemented, as expected, next year.
The local authority referred to the forthcoming introduction of such an order – these allow councils to manage and set regulations and tariffs for its car parks – in its response to a media query returned to the Mourne Observer last week.
The query was submitted to the council after concerns about the general lack of parking in the town and the apparent underutilisation of the 77-space Bann Road park ‘n’ share facility were raised by a local resident in correspondence recently sent to this paper, as well as to Sinn Féin, SDLP and DUP elected representatives.
In her letter, the resident voiced her dissatisfaction with “the promotion and use” of the Bann Road facility, which opened in June 2022 at a cost of £155,000.
She wrote that “it has been opened for four years and because of mismanagement has not been used to alleviate the parking problems in Castlewellan”, adding that “it appears that council and our local representatives are unable/unwilling to prohibit all-day parking in Castlewellan and to promote a facility that lies empty – at best, two or three cars use the 77-car facility each day”.
The resident also said that the council’s Make It Local campaign does not appear to apply to Castlewellan as the town is “a large car park” for all-day parking, leaving no parking spaces for shoppers while the park ‘n’ share lies virtually empty.
As well as for a response to these claims, the council was asked what, if anything, it is doing or planning to do to promote greater use of the town park ‘n’ share, and if there are currently any plans for it to be used in conjunction with its Treetop Walk Mourne tourist attraction at Castlewellan Forest Park, a planning application for which was recently submitted.
In its reply, a local authority spokesperson stated that the Bann Road facility was “developed primarily to support sustainable travel options, including car sharing, and to provide additional parking capacity within walking distance of the town centre”.
“Since its opening, the council has undertaken measures to encourage use of the Bann Road facility, including providing clear signage and promoting its availability through local initiatives,” she continued.
“The site also serves as a convenient meeting point for organised transport.
“Council officers will continue to consider opportunities to raise awareness of the facility and encourage greater use by residents and visitors.
“This includes examining how the facility can be better promoted as part of wider efforts to support local businesses, sustainable travel and access to the town centre.”
The spokesperson pointed out that “parking restrictions and enforcement on public roads and within the Lower Square are matters for the Department for Infrastructure (DfI).”
