THE introduction of a new parking
charges and permit system for the
district’s four main parks has been
deferred until after Easter.
On Monday, the council’s Strategy, Policy
and Resources (SPR) Committee agreed to
postpone the new scheme – which applies to
Kilbroney Forest Park, Delamont Country
Park, Castlewellan Forest Park and Slieve
Gullion Forest Park – until 22 April, following a
social media furore over the impending
charges.
However, a compromise was reached to
allow for the issuing of permits that will grant
free admission to Delamont and Castlewellan for eligible residents in the meantime.
The new system will see uniform
charging being brought in at all four
locations – parking at Kilbroney and
Slieve Gullion is currently free – and
the creation of a permit that will allow
each registered household in the
district free entry to a park of their
choice, as well as the introduction of
annual £25 single park and £60 all park
permits.
A council statement, issued to the
press on Friday after it had been
posted on Facebook, had confirmed
that the scheme was set to be
introduced at the beginning of next
week; however, the ensuing online
response prompted councillors to
rethink the start date.
Monday’s special SPR meeting had
been due to focus solely on flood
support funding, though the parks
issue was a late addition to the
agenda, following a request by Sinn
Féin.
Downpatrick councillor Oonagh
Hanlon said that the party wanted to
“put on record that the
communication wasn’t great last
week”, and that they had been
“shocked by it coming out on
Facebook, because we didn’t realise
that it was going to be announced in
the way that it was”.
She highlighted that local
representatives had received “many,
many calls over the weekend, where
people were misinterpreting what was
going out on social media”, and that
many of the callers “weren’t aware
that residents could avail of the free
pass to a park of their choice”.
Cllr Hanlon requested that the new
system be delayed to allow it “to roll
out properly”, and to allow time “to
answer all the queries that have been
asked by residents and visitors to the
district”.
“We are not saying that we do not
want it to roll out,” she said.
“We just think there needs to be a
wee bit more time, and a wee bit
better communication going forward,
to allow people to understand what
the proposal actually is.”
The local representative added that
the new system of allowing residents
free access to a park of their choice
was about creating a “fair and
equitable” method across the district.
Her proposal was then seconded by
Aidan Mathers (Sinn Féin, Newry).
Gareth Sharvin (SDLP,
Downpatrick) voiced his concern that
delaying the introduction of the new
system would mean the continuation
of charging into Delamont for another
seven weeks.
His party colleague Terry Andrews
(Rowallane) said that he had been
contacted by concerned constituents
in relation to parking charges, though
added that “when I mentioned that
Delamont would be free to local
residents, they literally danced with
joy, because that was a bugbear for
many over the years”.
Mickey Ruane (Sinn Féin,
Crotlieve) stated that there had been
“a lot of false information going out”
on social media in recent days, and
that he agreed wholeheartedly that
council should “push this back until
after the Easter period”.
“It’s not that far away, and we don’t
want to create confusion,” he said.
“Also, we will have staff members
trying to implement this, and it will
only create difficulties for them if
people don’t understand the process
in place for how to get their pass or
where they get the pass.
“We don’t need them taking the flak
on the ground.
“There is a narrative out there and
a lack of information, and I think that
time and space will allow for people to
get their heads around how they get
the pass for their designated park and
how that works.”
Declan McAteer (SDLP, Crotlieve)
pointed out that when he had visited
Kilbroney Park on Sunday he had
been disappointed to see that a new
“collection booth” had been installed,
and that a notice informing of the
incoming changes had not.
“I thought that a notice would have
been very appropriate, and I would
actually ask staff to do that as a
matter of urgency, because it is bad
looking that we have a booth in to
facilitate it all, but we have no
information there in preparation of it,”
he added.
Pete Byrne (SDLP, Slieve Gullion)
also voiced dismay that signs had not
been placed in the parks before the
installation of kiosks, and said that “a
failure of communication” had left
people believing they would be
charged for all parks.
Enterprise, Regeneration and
Tourism director Conor Mallon
warned that delaying the
implementation of the scheme would
necessitate keeping the existing
system in place across all four parks.
Cllr Hanlon responded that “we are
where we are because the
communication was so bad”.
“For this part of the district, I do not
want them to be charged any more
than they already have, but we are
where we are with this, and it has
been handled badly, which is why we
wanted to put it on the agenda this
evening – to try to get it sorted out
right across the district,” she said.
Mr Mallon suggested compromises
that would allow the scheme to be
delayed until 22 April.
He said that Kilbroney and Slieve
Gullion could remain free until that
date, and that the permits for
Castlewellan and Delamont could be
made available as originally planned,
allowing for free access to these
facilities prior to the new date.
“We will actively work between now
and then to improve communications;
we will develop further frequently
answered questions based on the
concerns that have been raised over
the last week; and we will erect
signage across all our sites in the next
two to three weeks to make visitors to
all our parks aware of what the plans
are, what the implementation date is,
and how they can access their free
pass,” the director added.
Andrew McMurray (Alliance, Slieve
Croob) stated that he had no issues
with the deferral, and asked for
further information on how the delay
would be communicated.
Mr Mallon replied that the council
would use its social media channels
and other means.
“We will provide information boards
at each of the sites, so that members
of the public and residents, and other
visitors to our sites, across all four will
be aware of what the planned date is
for implementation, and how they can
access a free pass or an enhanced
pass, or, for external visitors from
outside the district, how they can buy
a pass for themselves,” he said.
David Lee-Surginor (Alliance,
Rowallane) requested clarity on the
issuing of permits, and Mr Mallon
responded that they will be “available
at the offices within each of the forest
parks”.
The committee unanimously
endorsed Cllr Hanlon’s proposal to
defer the new system, and agreed to
adopt the suggestions made by Mr
Mallon.
Last week’s council statement said
that the four parks ‘attract a
substantial number of visitors per
annum and an increasing number of
visitors from outside the district’.
‘All four parks play an increasingly
important role in driving economic
development, through tourism and of
supporting local communities and
businesses,’ it stated.
‘It is important that residents can
continue to access their local park,
which is why it was important for the
council to introduce a permit scheme.
‘The revenue generated from the
new parking permit scheme will be
used for the ongoing development and
maintenance of these award-winning
parks.
‘The council has agreed to
undertake a six-month review on the
operation of the parking permit
scheme.’
Access to the parks for pedestrians
and cyclists will remain free.
Entry charges to the parks will be
£3 for a motorbike, £5 for a car, £15 for
a minibus, and £50 for a coach.
