Parking availability in Douglas is far better than many believe, according to a new survey by Douglas City Centre Management.
In April, DCCM asked the public what would encourage them to visit the city centre more often. The top response was parking, with calls for more spaces and cheaper or free options.
Subsequent surveys during peak times revealed an average of over 250 spaces available on weekday lunchtimes and more than 500 on Saturdays.
A DCCM spokesperson said: “There’s a risk that when people constantly hear there’s ‘no parking’, they simply avoid coming into the city centre. That perception is not only inaccurate but can be potentially damaging to our economy.”
Spaces
They added: “Although many residents perhaps don’t know where to find the best available spaces, we are very pleased to confirm there isn’t anything close to a lack of parking in the city centre.”
Recommended options include free two-hour disk parking on Chester Street Level 1, regular spaces at Drumgold Street Levels 2 and 3, and £2 weekend parking at Shaw’s Brow.
Long-term, a City Centre Strategy will explore options like free peak-time parking and improved disabled and parent-child spaces.
the spokesperson said: “We’ve been working through your comments and taking them on board. Some we can action fairly quickly, others will take a little longer but, in the meantime, we need to correct the record: there IS parking in Douglas – and lots of it.”
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