Council losing money due to temporary Loch prom spaces

Douglas Council claims it’s losing money from its car parks, due to the temporary spaces offered by government on Loch Promenade walkway.

Around two hundred spaces have been provided by the Department of Infrastructure since January this year, to replace the loss of fifty spaces caused by the promenade scheme.

It’s resulted in falling occupancy rates over the last three months at the Council-run Bottleneck, Chester Street, and Drumgold Street car parks, and a subsequent loss of revenue.

Council Leader David Christian cautioned that the scrapping of free Sunday parking at Chester Street and the Bottleneck may also have impacted use of the sites.

Only 29 per cent of the spaces at Chester Street were occupied through May, 

The Council has resolved to seek compensation from the DOI for the loss, by way of a rebate from its licence fee for the Drumgold and Chester Street sites

It’s also requesting the department limits the number of spaces it’s offering on the Loch Promenade walkway, or pays back the local authority accordingly.