'˜Staggering' 150,000 parking and bus lane fines issued to Ulster motorists

Retail NI chief executive Glyn Roberts said: ”Over 150,000 parking and bus lane fines handed out to motorists in our town and city centres is having a clear and negative impact on shoppers and our members.”

The Department of Infrastructure, however, said the fines, which cost motorists £45 if they’re paid early and £90 if they’re not, were necessary to improve road safety, reduce traffic congestion, and improve bus times.

The department published the figures yesterday.

They detail the total number of on-street parking fines, off-street parking fines and bus lane fines handed out in 2017.

More than 94,000 penalty charge notices (PCNs) were issued last year for on-street parking offences, over 37,000 for off-street parking offences, and over 20,000 for bus only lane offences.

Belfast accounted for the largest number of fines, with 41,557 on-street parking fines handed out, in addition to the 20,807 fines for driving in bus lanes.

The vast majority of bus lane fines were given out for offences in just three locations.

Donegall Square East, Great Victoria Street and College Square East accounted for around three-quarters of all bus lane fines.

Meanwhile, there were eight towns and villages where no fines were handed out.

Motorists in Ahoghill, Aughnacloy, Ballykelly, Castlewellan, Cullybackey, Dromore in Co Tyrone, Newtownstewart and Portglenone escaped without any penalty charge notices.

Glyn Roberts of Retail NI said the number of fines was “having a clear and negative impact on shoppers and our members”.

He added: “Retail NI has consistently hit out at this over-zealous fining policy and the negative message it sends out to shoppers who use their cars to travel to town centres.

“The only winners from this are the large out-of-town supermarkets, which have free car parking and no traffic attendants.”

A spokesperson for the Department of Infrastructure, however, said: “Enforcement of parking restrictions and bus lanes aims to reduce the number of illegally parked vehicles and unauthorised vehicles using bus lanes during operational hours.

“This, in turn, will reduce traffic congestion, improve road safety, improve accessibility for all road users including blue badge holders, and improve bus journey times.

“In order to achieve these benefits, it is important that appropriate action is taken to discourage those who park or use bus lanes illegally.

“PCNs are issued to drivers who contravene regulations, as this greatly impacts on other commuters and has a knock-on effect on traffic flows.”