The Chief Executive of Roads Service (Dr. Malcolm McKibbin) has been asked to written to the hon. Gentleman in response to this question.
Letter from Dr. Malcolm McKibbin, dated 28 November 2006:
You recently asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland a Parliamentary Question regarding how many pay and display machines located in Limavady Central car park were out of order on a daily basis between 13 October and 17 November. As this issues fall within my responsibility as Chief Executive of Roads Service I have been asked to reply.
As you are aware Roads Service transferred responsibility for the operation of pay and display car parks to the private contractor, National Car Parks (NCP) on 30 October 2006. Prior to the transfer, Roads Service conducted twice weekly inspections / cash collections at the three pay and display machines in the Central car park, Limavady.
The table below details the number of pay and display machines working on each date Roads Service conducted an inspection/cash collection.
Date Number of pay and display machines working 17 October 2006 3 19 October 2006 1 24 October 2006 2 26 October 2006 1
The table below details the number of pay and display machines working on each date NCP conducted an inspection.
Date Number of pay and display machines working 6 November 2006 0 17 November 2006 2
Since the new operation started on the 30 October 2006 NCP has experienced some difficulties in relation to machine maintenance and this has resulted in some machines being out of order for longer than we would like. This is in part due to the huge task of transferring the management of maintenance and replacement of all parking equipment in Northern Ireland to one central control point. The pay and display machines currently operating in Limavady Central car park are relatively old and are soon to be replaced. A computer monitoring system, linked to the new pay and display machines will enable faults to be detected as soon as they occur. It is hoped this improved system will reduce the time machines are out of order.