Write a commentFrom Today you will be able to park for free from 4.30pm Monday to Friday and all day Saturday in any on-street parking area in Newry City Centre.
The facility has been provided in the run up to Christmas but note the machines will still accept your money and you won't get any refunds so make sure you remember not to "feed" them after 4.30pm!
Transport Minister, Danny Kennedy announced the free on-street parking last week.
From Monday, 5 December 2011 to Christmas Eve, inclusive, payment for on-street parking will be suspended from 4.30pm, Monday to Friday and all day Saturday, in Newry.
The Minister said: “I have decided to suspend my Department’s enforcement of on-street car parking charges in Belfast, Lisburn and Newry city centres in the run up to Christmas.
“This is the first time on-street paid parking enforcement has been suspended beyond Belfast city centre. I have also extended the scheme to include all day Saturday as well as after 4.30pm, from Monday to Friday.
“I hope this is a decision that will be welcomed by the three cities where drivers pay for on-street parking all year round. No other towns in Northern Ireland have on-street paid parking and I hope this will provide these city centres with a boost for the Christmas period.”
The Minister added: “Parking enforcement and charged parking is an effective method of controlling traffic in city centres and parking enforcement staff will closely monitor the scheme to ensure it is not counter-productive to traffic flow.”
Today’s announcement follows the Minister’s decision, earlier this year, that he would not proceed with the plan to roll out on-street parking charges to 30 towns and cities across Northern Ireland.
1. Belfast, Lisburn and Newry are the only cities or towns in Northern Ireland to have on--street charged parking.
2. Off--street car parks in Newry will be enforced as normal and drivers will be expected to pay the appropriate tariff.
3. The scheme will cover all on--street pay and display bays in Newry
4. The pay and display machines located in the streets that are included in the scheme will have notices indicating that enforcement will stop in these streets Monday--Friday at 4.30pm and all day Saturday.
5. Drivers should be aware that the machines will still accept payment during non--enforcement times and no refunds will be given.
6. All yellow line restrictions will be enforced as normal.
