Omagh ‘parking attendants’ to wear different coloured uniform

LOCAL traffic wardens will be swapping their traditional red uniforms for brand new blue ones, as a recently council-contracted company prepares to begin policing the 13 ‘pay-and-display’ public car parks across the district.

Fermanagh and Omagh District Council (FODC) has agreed a new deal with Marston (Holdings) Ltd to provide enforcement services across Omagh, which will start on Wednesday, April 3.

The main change that car park users will notice is that the parking attendants, formerly known as traffic wardens, will wear a blue uniform, and there will be a slight change to the text on the printed Penalty Charge Notice (PCN).

However, according to FODC, their responsibilities and legal authority remains the same.

The new contract will also see the introduction of a new ‘cashless’ parking system in operation at the council’s 13 ‘pay and display’ car parks in Enniskillen and Omagh.

The Just Park app will be replaced by the ‘RingGo’ app, enabling car park users to continue to have the option to pay through their mobile phones, as well as at car park pay stations or via a telephone call.

FODC chair, Cllr Thomas O’Reilly, said, “We are accustomed to seeing ‘red coat’ parking attendants in our pay and display car parks.

“Therefore, it is important to make sure that members of the public are aware that parking attendants will soon be wearing a blue uniform. However, their responsibilities and legal authority remain the same.”

The Department for Infrastructure will continue to be responsible for on street parking, therefore, the red coat parking attendants will continue to patrol the streets.

From April 3, parking complaints, including PCN appeals, will be dealt with by NSL, part of Marston (Holdings) Ltd through the following contact 0333 0068 351.

For more information, visit www.fermanaghomagh.com/ carparks.