Fermanagh and Omagh District Council has recorded the highest number of off-street penalty charge notices (parking fines) in Northern Ireland for the third year in a row, prompting the business community to speak out against an “over-zealous” fining policy.

The parking fine statistics have come a few weeks after the Council heard that its car park financials do “not look positive.”

When the super councils were created in 2015, the new local authorities took over responsibility for off-street car parks, while the department kept control of on-street car parking.

Fermanagh and Omagh District Council (FODC) was told by the Department for Infrastructure (DFI) that there was a potential to make £627,000 per year in income from its 39 car parks. However, in the year ended March 2016, the net income from car parks was just over £550,000 (£138,400 which came from parking fines) and in the year ended March 2017, the net income was £575,000 (£174,000 which came from parking fines).

Last year, parking attendants roaming Council owned car parks in Enniskillen and Omagh issued more parking fines than in Belfast City.
Statistics released by the DFI show that, in 2017, there were 4,849 off-street parking fines issued in the FODC area; the highest number in Northern Ireland, equating to 13 per cent of all 37,374 off-street tickets issued across the province. In comparison, 4,379 parking fines were issued in Belfast City Council car parks. Similarly, in 2016, FODC issued the highest number of parking fines (4,595) and, in 2015, it topped the table, with 4,370 parking fines. Those figures show a 10 per cent increase in off-street parking fines in Fermanagh and Omagh since the Councils amalgamated in 2015.

During January’s meeting of the Council’s Environmental Services Committee, Councillors were told to expect a report on a new Car Park Strategy in March, which will aim to address its car park income shortfall.

The Director of Environment and Place told Councillors that the financials did not look positive, however, the Finance department was content that the income figures would balance at the end of the financial year. He also noted that the allocated budget of £60,000 for car park repairs was not a significant amount as the Council owned 39 car parks and this finance was required to cover the painting of white lines, tarmac works etc. He discussed DFI’s proposal to transfer the lighting systems in 27 of the 39 off-street car parks to the Council and said the department had rejected the Council’s assertion that it would only take ownership of the lighting columns which were located within the grounds of the car park and not those located outside.

The issue of car parking fines was high on the agenda at a meeting last week between Manager of Enniskillen Business District (BID) Noelle McAloon and Chief Executive of Retail NI, Glyn Roberts, who hit out at “the negative message an over-zealous fining policy sends out to shoppers who use their cars to travel to town centres.”
Ms. McAloon said: “Enniskillen BID is working to develop the BID area into one which has vibrant businesses and presents itself as a pleasant place to shop and stay and unfortunately statistics such as these do not reflect positively on our town.

“Enniskillen BID members recognise the vital role that car parking plays for a positive shopping experience and the turnover of car parking spaces both on-street and off-street is important. However, when it becomes this over-zealous and when it is documented in this negative light then that has serious implications.”

She said that the level of parking fines issued locally is one of the main issues consistently raised by Enniskillen BID members. “Enniskillen is an excellent destination for shoppers and for visitors, however local businesses feel that in reality we don’t give the welcome that is appropriate for a tourist town when we are known for this level of penalty notices,” she said.

The BID members would “welcome a better approach given that we are a destination area,” said Ms. McAloon, adding: “There is room to improve the customer experience of parking in Enniskillen, while ensuring that parking regulations are adhered to.”

Meanwhile, the DFI controlled parking wardens issued 3,011 on-street parking fines across Fermanagh in 2017: 2,733 in Enniskillen; 111 in Irvinestown; 74 in Clogher; 57 in Lisnaskea; 35 in Fivemiletown; and one in Kesh.