Temporary parking arrangements on Ramsey’s West Quay do not meet modern design standards or accessibility obligations under the Equality Act, the DoI has confirmed.
In Keys, Dr Michelle Haywood asked DoI political member Stu Peters how many parallel spaces existed before the Parliament Street refurbishment, how many were created by temporary echelon parking and whether the department had safety concerns.
Mr Peters said the department held no formal historic count but estimated the previous layout would equate to approximately 83 parallel spaces based on measured length and retrospective application of design standards.
The temporary echelon arrangement increased capacity by 21 spaces, providing 40 parallel and 64 echelon spaces.
“This arrangement was introduced as a short term measure and does not meet modern design standards,” Mr Peters said.
He added: “The department has no immediate safety concerns with the current parking arrangements.
“However, it does not meet current design requirements, nor does it satisfy the accessibility obligations of the Equality Act. These issues will need to be addressed as part of any future design.”
Dr Haywood raised concerns about poor visibility with echelon parking, reversing movements, and safety for cyclists and pedestrians due to the absence of a clearly accessible pavement.