Now wardens turn their attention to school buses

Now wardens turn their attention to school buses

5 December 2012

TRAFFIC wardens in Downpatrick have again caused anger after they warned bus drivers waiting to collect students from Down High School.

The buses park on the main road at Mount Crescent and are there for around 15 minutes before heading off to various locations across the district

Last Friday afternoon, a traffic warden approached a bus driver sitting in one of four vehicles parked on double yellow lines and informed him that the buses were obstructing traffic in the area. No parking ticket was issued.

In recent weeks traffic wardens have come in for considerable criticism for issuing tickets to a Blood Transfusion Service van and Downpatrick firefighters.

Bus drivers insist they do their best to ensure the buses do not cause inconvenience for other road users at this part of the town. Translink’s district manager, Mr. Gary Mawhinney, acknowledged “there are difficulties” associated with the Mount Crescent area, but he explained there is nowhere else for buses to park.

Mr. Mawhinney said the buses which park outside the school are there for around 15 minutes and primarily transport pupils to the Saintfield, Ballynahinch and Comber areas.

“By leaving the bus station to collect pupils at the school, the buses are not contributing to or getting caught up in traffic congestion in Market Street and can start their respective journeys once the pupils are on board,” he added.

Councillor Colin McGrath said Translink should be allowed to continue parking outside the school, suggesting the transport company’s reasons for doing so make sense.

Several weeks ago, he asked for a meeting with a senior official from the Department of Regional Development’s (DRD) parking enforcement division which is responsible for traffic wardens to discuss a series of issues in Downpatrick in particular.

Councillor McGrath said the official is due to meet with members of Down Council’s Corporate Services Committee in two weeks’ time.

“I want Down Council to work with the DRD to ensure it’s perfectly legitimate for buses to stop at Mount Crescent to collect pupils leaving Down High School,” he continued.

“The fact the buses are directly outside the school gate ensures they are not contributing to town centre congestion,” he declared. “The vehicles are only there for a relatively short time.”

Councillor McGrath said there is a need for some “good old fashioned common sense” when it comes to issuing parking tickets, highlighting that in the most recent past in Downpatrick tickets have slapped on a Blood Transfusion lorry and the cars of firefighters attending emergency calls. “Are Translink buses next?” he continued. “My colleagues and I will be looking for answers to a number of questions when the meeting with the senior government official takes place, including the exact role of the traffic wardens.”

Councillor McGrath added: “Is their role solely to aid traffic flow and ensure people do not go over their allocated time in designated parking areas or is there more to it? Are the wardens employed under a performance-related pay scheme and if so, how exactly is that performance measured?”