Justification for parking restraint policy

Within areas of parking restraint, there is a presumption against additional car parking. The objective is to reduce the need for car borne commuting and promote a shift from car use in peak periods towards other forms of transport. The policy focuses upon controlling the amount of non-operational parking that can be provided within areas of parking restraint in the city centre and in commercial areas outside Belfast City Centre. The details of the BCC core and BCC fringe are set out in the DfI's extant transport plan. The areas of parking restraint in commercial areas outside Belfast City Centre will be reviewed as part of the local policies plan. In the interim prior to the adoption of the local policies plan the existing draft BMAP boundaries for commercial nodes on arterial routes should be used.