A PUBLIC consultation in a Co Tyrone town notorious for its lack of parking tickets has found 80 per cent support for implementing restrictions on parking.
People in Coalisland were asked for their views on new traffic management proposals as part of a planned £2.75 million scheme giving a facelift to the town centre.
For many years drivers in Coalisland have not received a single parking ticket – but traffic wardens could now be making a comeback.
In the consultation by Mid Ulster District Council, one of the questions asked respondents if they would be "in favour of implementing parking restrictions at key locations".
Of the 44 who responded, 80 per cent said they would be in favour of restrictions, five per cent were opposed and the rest made no comment.
One wrote: "If restrictions means parking bays and traffic wardens, then absolutely yes."
Another said: "I think if car parking bays were added along Main Street and monitored like all other towns in Northern Ireland there would not be the double-parking issues that currently exist."
Details of the consultation responses were obtained by The Irish News through a freedom of information request.
Parking wardens were deployed in Coalisland for a trial period in late 2016 amid criticism over the absence of penalties compared to other towns.
But the attendants claimed they received "large amounts of abuse" and requested a police escort for visits, before they were withdrawn in January last year following the trial.
The new public realm scheme includes proposals for new traffic and parking layouts, as well as a bus lay-by, loading bay and disabled spaces.
Other features include new stone paving, street furniture and lighting in the town centre.
SDLP councillor Malachy Quinn said if other Tyrone towns and villages such as Moy have parking wardens "then there is no reason why Coalisland should be immune to them".
"There are problems with parking in Coalisland. Ask anybody driving through it – it's as plain as day," he said.
"If they are going to be introducing disabled bays then there has to be some enforcement of them."
Sinn Féin councillor Joe O'Neill said: "Obviously with this new public realm scheme there's going to be some enforcement with parking, in line with other towns.
"If 80 per cent of people have said it, obviously we have to listen to them."
However, he said he was unsure if restrictions would mean the use of parking wardens, suggesting it could mean drivers paying to use some off-street spaces.
The council's environment committee on Tuesday night agreed to press ahead with a scheme option that involves a new one-way system on Main Street. The decision it will go before full council for approval.
According to the consultation, 61 per cent of respondents supported one-way traffic on Main Street, although some businesses remain opposed to the idea.
Mid Ulster council hopes work on the scheme could begin by summer or early autumn.
A spokeswoman last year said the consultation's reference to parking restrictions was "simply to establish local people's views on the level and type of parking provision which may be included in the scheme".
"Decisions regarding enforcement policies around on-street parking lie with the Department for Infrastructure, rather than the council, and so do not form part of this consultation," she said.
