Business owners demand longer town centre parking

One businessman told the Mail that shopping has become a lot more time consuming with shoppers sometimes having to queue up to get into premises.

“We badly need to keep shoppers in Cookstown for as long as possible because we are trying to find our feet again after being closed for so long and need the revenue,” he said. “We don’t want them to go to surrounding towns where the parking times are more favourable.”

The business man, who asked not to named, said town centre parking is currently limited to one hour which in his opinion did not give shoppers long enough to go about their business in the current circumstances.

Local DUP MLA Keith Buchanan said he fully understood the plight of town centre traders who were starting up again after the lockdown and obeying the restrictions.

He said he has been contacted by several business owners in the town and he has asked the Department for Infrastructure to review the current time limits.

“Shoppers now have longer to wait for service due to the current restrictions surrounding Covid-19 and town centre businesses do not want to lose out to out of town shopping,” said Mr Buchanan.

“Many businesses on our local high streets have been closed for the last couple of months due to Covid-19 restrictions to protect public health.”

The Mid Ulster MLA stressed it has been a devastating period for many local retailers and other businesses.

“As consumers have the future of these businesses in their hands, they may be deterred from shopping in the town centres due to parking enforcement and decide to spend their money elsewhere,” he continued.

“It would be a big boost to the retail and commercial businesses in town centres for there to be extended parking during this period.

“We need these restrictions reviewed as soon as possible to assist our high streets and I would urge people to shop local.

”The Department for Infrastructure (DFI) reintroduced parking enforcement in towns and villages across Northern Ireland on Monday.

Mid Ulster Council followed suit with enforcing parking regulations at their 23 off-street car parks in the district. Parking at Cookstown’s four main parks - Burn Road, Loy Street, Orritor Street and Union Place - remains free of charge.

The DFI was not available for an immediate response to the traders demand to extend the on-street parking limit in Cookstown.

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