This site and petition has been set up to lobby for Sunday enforcement of traffic regulations in Bangor Town Centre, to ensure that everyone is treated the same under the law. The lack of enforcement along with extensions to the Hamilton Road Presbyterian Church (HRPC) has led to regular parking congestion and regular parking offences.

This is in the main, due to the increase in the facilities (W/2013/0278/F) and high levels of attendance at events, coupled with completely insufficient parking provision by the Church

As was stated in their planning application for the recent extension: HRPC seats 800-1000 and is therefore in continuous demand as a venue for a range of events and community activities. Local schools, charities and the Council use the building for events and it is also a significant conference/convention venue attracting 1000's of visitors to the town on these occasions.

Hamilton road baptist attracts around 250 people, which if you add to a minimum of 1,000 visitors HRPC attract and generously divide that number by 5 people per car, this leads to a hypothetical requirement of 250 parking spaces in and around Hamilton Road. HRPC car parking plan provides for 66 vehicles leaving a deficit of 184 car parking spaces.

DRD Roads Service were consulted about the application and did not raise any objections into the loss of the car parking on site, (13 spaces at side of church) or the provision of additional parking and the flow of traffic to the church.

Interestingly:

After the original application was deferred for an office meeting on the grounds of strong local objections. This meeting took place on 10th June 2014. A total of 42 no. letters of objection were received in relation to the application. A total of 23 letters of objection were received to the initial scheme. After the submission of amended plans in February 2014, a further 7 letters of objection were submitted and following a further set of amendments submitted in April 2014, another 12 letters of objection were received.

NOTE: The exacerbation of the existing parking situation during church services and functions was not discussed, primarily because the DRD Roads Service had been consulted about the application and had not raised any objections. DRD ROADS HOWEVER: did not comment on the exacerbation of the existing parking situation during church services and functions.

THIS ISSUE HAS BEEN NEVER ADDRESSED BY DRD ROADS SERVICE OR THE PLANNING SERVICE

This petition has been to developed to encourage local people affected by illegal parking in and around their property to sign a petition requesting that the Department for Regional Development's (DRD) TransportNI initiate Sunday enforcement of parking in central Bangor.

It is the author's opinion that the current policies relating to the enforcement of parking offences contravenes Section 75 of the Northern Ireland Act. Most importantly that it discriminates against "people with different religious beliefs" or more accurately, discriminates positively in favour of people with Christian beliefs to the detriment of those with other faiths and none. For example traffic enforcement is very strict around Rugby Avenue in Belfast adjacent to the Mosque where Friday prayers are held, yet there is no enforcement around HRPC where many offences are regularly committed and go unpunished on Sundays:

The majority of regular offences include contraventions of: RTRO Art 4(5) & R(RW)O

You MUST NOT wait or park on yellow lines, during the times of operation shown on the nearby time plates (or zone entry sign if in a Controlled Parking Zone see 'Information signs' and 'Road markings').

Double yellow lines indicate a prohibition of waiting at any time even if there are no upright signs.

RTO 1995 Art 32, RTRO Art 4(5), TSO Art 25, CUR reg 119 & R(RW)O

You MUST NOT stop or park on:

within 15 metres (50 feet) of any junction, except in a lay-by in specified circumstances or in a designated parking area

a bus stop marked on the carriageway or bus stop lay-bys unless otherwise indicated by signs

Where the kerb has been lowered to help wheelchair users and powered mobility vehicles

In front of an entrance to a property

on a bend

Partially or wholly on the footway or footpath unless signs permit it. Parking on the footway or footpath can obstruct and seriously inconvenience pedestrians, people in wheelchairs or with visual impairments and people with prams or pushchairs.

According to NIDirect, Section 75 promotes 'equality of opportunity' which means that everyone in society should be able to compete on equal terms. All government departments, agencies and councils must also give the nine key groups 'due regard' when creating a policy.They do this by screening their policies to see which ones will have a negative effect on a particular group or sector of society.

The Equality Commission, which is an independent public body, has the power to look into policy decisions with regard to the nine key groups identified above. And, if there are lots of people complaining about the same issue then there is a far better chance of getting the policy changed.

So we need your signatures to arrange for Sunday enforcement of traffic regulations in Bangor Town Centre, to ensure that everyone is treated the same under the law.