Alliance Infrastructure spokesperson Andrew Muir MLA has urged the Infrastructure Minister to get a move on, after it emerged she has still not received and reviewed a report already compiled by her officials on the benefits of residents’ parking schemes.

In April 2018, the Department for Infrastructure ran a trial residents’ parking scheme in South Belfast. Since the initial trial, communities across Northern Ireland have requested the scheme be brought to their area. However, following a question from Mr Muir, the Minister revealed she has still yet to receive and review the final report into the success of the trial, prior to make a decision on rolling out the scheme nationally, despite officials compiling it.

“The Minister and her Department are dragging their heels on residents’ parking,” said the North Down MLA.

“I originally asked the Minister about this in January 2020. Over a year later, there is still no progress.

“I know many locals in North Down are keen to bring residents’ parking scheme to their area and I know other constituencies will be the same. We now need the Minister to review the final report, and bring forward to proposals to be rolled out across Northern Ireland.

“If the review of residents’ parking was a car, it would have been clamped. The Minister should cut to the chase and make a decision on this important issue.”