Debate contribution: On-street Parking Charges in Lisburn

Debate contribution by Mr Robbie Butler on 11 November 2025.

MLA

Mr Robbie Butler

Party at the time

Ulster Unionist Party

Date

11 November 2025

Type

Debate contribution

Business

Adjournment

Heading

On-street Parking Charges in Lisburn

Assembly identifier

Official Report component 5349798

Read the official Assembly record

Text

I beg to move the motion, Mr Deputy Speaker. I do not need to move the motion — I have not done one of these in a long time. I will strike that from the video later, Mr Honeyford. I thank the Deputy Speaker for indulging me and hope that the Minister will attend the debate. Lisburn remains one of only two towns in Northern Ireland where on-street parking charges still apply. That creates an unfair disadvantage for local businesses and visitors. The policy is, quite simply, archaic, undermining the vitality of high streets, pushing shoppers to out-of-town centres that offer free parking and contradicting the "Town centre first" approach. A fair and consistent policy is needed in which either all towns charge or none charge. I propose a first-hour-free system as a practical first step to support trade, footfall and fairness. Across Northern Ireland from Bangor to Banbridge and from Carrickfergus to Derry/Londonderry, people can pull up, park and pop into their local town without paying a penny for the privilege — that was a lot Ps — yet in Lisburn we are expected to treat as a luxury something that is free everywhere else. The debate is not about opposing the fair management of our roads; it is about consistency and fairness. If charging for on-street parking truly is best practice, why are Lisburn and Newry the only places where it applies. Within a 20-mile radius of Lisburn, not one of the following towns charge for on-street parking: Antrim, Banbridge, Bangor, Comber, Carrickfergus, Downpatrick, Lurgan, Moira and Portadown. Not even our larger regional cities, such as Derry/Londonderry and Armagh, charge for on-street parking. That inequality has a real cost. It costs local traders footfall; it costs families convenience; and it costs Lisburn a competitive edge. I had better make a declaration, in case the Minister declares it, that I have fallen foul of the redcoats in Lisburn far too many times. However, the purpose of the debate is not for me; it is for the shops and the high street. During the 2020-21 Chamber of Commerce and Industry campaign, Lisburn Chamber of Commerce, alongside its compatriot in Newry, secured support from Liz Kimmins MLA, who now serves as the Infrastructure Minister, for the removal of on-street parking charges. At that time, she recognised the unfairness of the system. Now, perhaps, she has the authority to finally deliver on that pressure. We are not asking for special treatment; we are asking for equal treatment: either all towns are charged or none. The rules must apply equally across Northern Ireland. The high street faces its most difficult decade in living memory. Sadly, retail habits have shifted online. Energy and wage costs for businesses are up, and margins are thin. Every decision that makes it harder for people to come into our towns pushes them further into decline. We are told that we must adopt a "Town centre first" approach, yet we see the opposite from DFI, with talk of increasing parking charges and removing spaces to discourage car use as part of an eastern transport plan. That approach might make sense in a city like Belfast, where public transport options are abundant. However, in Lisburn, which people come to from surrounding villages and rural communities and, often, have to carry their shopping or their children or accompany elderly relatives, car access is essential. The operators of out-of-town shopping centres know that. They offer free, unlimited parking and easy access. Where do people go? They go where it is convenient. Rather than supporting local businesses, they go where parking does not feel like a penalty. We need to make visiting Lisburn as frictionless as possible. Every barrier, whether it is a meter, a confusing app, an overly strict time limit or the anxiety, which I feel, about whether the app is working and whether I have got a ticket, discourages people from coming into my city centre. Often, one hour's parking is not enough to allow a visitor to do their messages, meet a friend for a coffee or browse our independent shops. People should not have to rush back to their car mid-conversation, mid-meal or mid-purchase. However, we have to be realistic about what we can do here. We have created a system that favours the quick errand, not the lingering visit, and it is the lingering visit that sustains our high street. For around 60 years, since the Lisburn Chamber of Commerce's earliest meetings, parking has been one of the retailers' greatest concerns. Decades later, the same issues persist. We are still talking about lost trade and frustrated shoppers in streets that are empty earlier than they should be. Many years ago, I was a butcher in Lisburn. I worked six days a week. I suppose that I have romantic memories of walking around the town carrying meat parcels into shops and round restaurants when the high street thrived — and it did. Sadly, we have lost that. We are talking about lost trade and a frustrating disconnect with the people who call Lisburn "home". Without meaningful action from DFI, Lisburn, like Newry, risks losing the commercial heart that has sustained it for generations. What do we propose? At the very least, there should be a free first hour of on-street parking. That is a balanced, common-sense reform. It would encourage people to get back into the city, take their time, support local traders and get to know one another once again. It would not remove enforcement altogether, but it would restore fairness and flexibility. It would send a clear signal that Lisburn is open, welcoming and ready to compete. Such a change would be simple to implement and widely supported. Public engagement has shown overwhelming public support for a better solution for parking in Lisburn. People want to shop local and support small businesses. They just need a system that makes that possible. As I said, before Minister Kimmins was a Minister, she stood with the campaign to remove the charges. I hope that, now, as Minister, she can complete that journey. Lisburn is not asking for charity; we are asking for fairness. The city has one of the most vibrant communities in Northern Ireland. It is consistently rated as one of the best places to live in Northern Ireland. That reputation should be reflected in the vitality of our city centre offering. We should make it easier, not harder, for people to come to, shop in and belong to Lisburn. Our high street is not just an economic engine; it is part of Lisburn's identity. It is the heartbeat of the community. Every small retailer, every café and, on a Tuesday, every market stall contributes to that heartbeat, and every empty parking bay represents a lost opportunity to keep that heart beating strongly. Let us act. Let us end the outdated, unfair policy that singles out Lisburn and Newry. Let us adopt a fair and consistent approach across Northern Ireland. As a minimum and as a first step, let us introduce a free first hour of on-street parking. It is a simple change that would make a world of difference because, when Lisburn thrives, Lagan Valley thrives and Northern Ireland benefits. A fair parking policy is not a small matter but a signal of how we value our towns, traders and people.

1,225 words. Text as published by the Northern Ireland Assembly.

Assessment

Not flagged

Jev’s structured answers

Assessed 21 October 2026 at 13:38 UTC by jev-1.13.0 (requested as typesafe/jev) under rubric 2026.10-r9, methodology 1.9.

Disagree with this assessment?

Classifications can be challenged. A person reads every challenge, and any change is recorded publicly above with its reason.

Challenge this classification