Paid for parking permits proposed at the Bowl

Deadline to make representations on proposals is this Friday 6 September

Charges may be introduced at the Bowl car park, if a new draft Parking Order is approved.

The Department of Education, Sport and Culture is inviting feedback on its (Off street) Parking Places (Amendment) Order 2024.

The draft order is an amendment of the 2021 Parking Order and reveals a yearly charge could be introduced at the site with two classes of permit.

Class A permits would be charged £537.50 plus VAT per annum, whilst Class B permits would be exempt.

The permits would work in a similar way to other contract car parking, such as the Tongue car park, Chester Street or the Little River Bridge car park. 

Those car parks have a charge of £1,075 plus VAT per year per space.

Manx Radio understands some people use the sports facility to park and then travel onwards to work via bus, in a form of active travel.

Active travel is a key priority of the current administration, with a dedicated webpage available HERE.

The order would also restrict overnight parking at the Bowl, the NSC, and the UCM car parks on Greenfield Road, Douglas and Hills Meadow, Douglas.

To apply for a Class B parking permit, and therefore be exempt from the charges, an applicant would have to fall into one of the following categories:

• students of UCM who, in their capacity as a student, are attending either the NSC or the Advanced Manufacturing Training Centre, Hills Meadow, Douglas
• staff of UCM who, in their capacity as a member of staff, are attending either the NSC or the Advanced Manufacturing Training Centre
• a person whose place of work is at the NSC or its facilities and is attending the NSC or its facilities in their professional capacity

A public notice issued in the Courier in August states that a draft copy of the order is available for inspection upon request by email to DESCPolicyHub@gov.im or at Douglas City Hall during normal office hours.

Any person wishing to make representations on, or object to, the proposals should do so in writing to that email address or to the Department of Education, Sport and Culture's Policy Hub, Thie Slieau Whallian, St John's, IM4 3AS.

However, the deadline to make representations against the change is this Friday (6 September).

Manx Radio has contacted the Department of Education, Sport and Culture - and the Department of Infrastructure, as the department which enforces parking restrictions - for comment.

(Extracts from draft order)

(Public notice)

RESPONSE

In response to Manx Radio's questions, a spokesperson for the DESC said: "Under the existing order, there are currently parking restrictions in place Monday to Friday 8am to 5.30pm at the Bowl car park, where permits are issued as well as there being a disc zone. Under the proposed order, the disc zone will still apply, however parking permits will be charged for.

"The proposed order also places a restriction on overnight parking. For general use of the Bowl at evening and weekends, customers of the NSC and the Bowl will see no change, and can park free of charge. The main NSC car park is available to customers free of charge all day.

"As prescribed under the existing order, any vehicle that is left in a parking place in contravention of the order may be removed by the Department."