§ David BurnsideTo ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what(a) personnel and (b) financial resources have been required to deal with the decision of 590W the University of Ulster to introduce car clamping at the campuses of (i) Jordanstown, (ii) Coleraine and (iii) Londonderry; what the impact has been upon the host communities at each location; and what steps he is taking to ensure that the costs incurred by the Police Service of Northern Ireland as a result of this policy will be recouped from the university. [160241]
§ Jane KennedyThe University of Ulster, which is an autonomous institution responsible for its own policies and practices introduced vehicle clamping due to the lack of ordered parking, which involved, for example, parking in spaces reserved for the disabled, on verges, at corners and other areas marked by double yellow lines, and in ways which dangerously restricted access to entrances and exits. The new arrangements have been put in place to prevent such inconvenience and danger to car park users and have been very successful.
The University is deeply conscious of the importance of good relations with local residents and has sought the co-operation of both staff and students in not parking in the streets surrounding the University campuses.
No significant costs have been incurred by the University because clamping is carried out by an external company.
At Jordanstown, it has been necessary for the police, on a number of occasions, to deploy traffic wardens adjacent to the complex. They have issued in the region of 315 fixed penalty tickets since September 2003.
At Coleraine and Londonderry there has been minimal impact on local police resources as any illegal parking is dealt with by the local police in the normal course of their duty. It is therefore not possible to provide an estimation of costs.