Cost of car parking to rise in Hillsborough

The Department for Regional Development announced this week the cost of using the park will increase by 10p an hour from Monday, September 12.

A DRD spokesperson said it was one of a series of increases in their car parks across Northern Ireland which are being rolled out ove the next few weeks.

“The increases will encourage turnover of car parking spaces which will help to improve traffic management and promote the commercial and tourist vitality of our towns” the spokesperson claimed.

“Legislation for this increase was approved by the Assembly in March 2011 and this has been advertised in the local press.

“This is the first tariff rise in a number of years, some have not increased in 12 years, and the increases will bring charges closer to private sector car parking prices. This will contribute towards the cost of Roads Service parking operations.

“Roads Service currently manages 132 charged car parks across Northern Ireland; 123 of these car parks will have the tariffs increased, six will stay the same, and three will have reduced tariffs.”